Lady Knight Adventures
by xxTunstall Chickxx
Summary: War is upon them once more, someone is bringing back the immortals from their sleep again. A battle for human kind and a fight for survival. But when faced with imminent danger can love survive? Can they? K/D xxTunstallChickxx
1. Steadfast Romance

_**--REVISED CHAPTER-**_

**_Based right after Lady Knight in Kel's Point Of View._**

**_I do not have spell check so please don't burn the stupid spelling mistakes but names and _****_names of _****_places that are constantly written wrong I would love to hear about..._**

_**This is my first fanfic please don't burn...**_

**_Disclaimer: I am not Tamora Pierce, if you thought so, please visit Neal..._**

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We had arrived at Steadfast after only three days, Neal wanted to make it two until I mentioned that our journey should include sleep. Our little band of warriors which included Neal and myself and five odd soldiers were welcomed with shouts of happiness and claps on the back.

Owen had jumped to hug me shouting: "Kel!" when I had slid off Peachblossom, only to stop frozen in place an inch away from me by the clearing of his Knight Master's throat. I traded an impressed glance with Neal, someone had civilized Owen! It was a miracle. We had then quickly bowed low to Sir Wyldon, Owen's knight master and our former training master. He nodded his head curtly and had servants show us to their rooms accompanied by Owen of Jesslaw; Sir Wyldon's squire, and one of my closest friends. Only when we had settled in and had gone to get lunch away from Sir Wyldon's eyes did Owen jump to hug me, he was so excited that he knocked me to the ground, I gasped for air. Neal broke out laughing as a sheepish looking Owen stood up to let me breathe.

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"Ahem" a little cough came from behind them, I looked up to see Yuki, my old Yamani friend, standing in her beautiful gold and red kimono on the grass, looking the figure of beauty.

Neal turned white as sheet and stopped laughing, turning serious he ran forward and to everyone surprise picked Yuki up and twirled her in a circle. I smirked when I heard my friend giggle, thinking of the scowls Yuki would've gotten in the islands had she let her emotions show like now. Neal set her down and gave her a very long kiss, Owen stuck his tongue out as if he were to puke, this made me laugh uncontrollably. The noise made Neal break away just in time to see what Owen was doing, he let go of Yuki and ran after Owen who tried to escape. Yuki sighed in concealed laughter and followed them in a calm walk. I shook my head as I watched my friends go, they were children in grown men's bodies, I wouldn't want it any other way. I started thinking of my village and when I came back down to earth I was sitting in the grass completely alone.

"What, you don't come say hello to your friends anymore Lady Knight?" I laughed seeing Dom walk out towards me and sitting down on the grass. I pushed the tingling feeling of him sitting so close out of my mind.

"I'll have you know sergeant Domitan that I have been very busy since my arrival at Steadfast." I said this in a mock haughty voice placing a hand on my chest.

"Looks like Sir Meathead's rubbing off." He said with a grin. I scoffed and pushed him with one hand. I gasped noticing his hand was on the side of my stomach What was he doing? I started laughing and couldn't stop.

"So the Protector does have a weakness" he said wickedly all the while tickling me.

"No! Dom stop!" I said between wheezes, I was crying from laughing so hard. I rolled to the side but he rolled on top of me. I couldn't stop laughing.

"Helllppp!"I tried calling for someone but I was laughing too hard, Dom was smiling as we kept rolling. Suddenly he stopped, "Gods Dom..." I shivered under him finally calming down from the hysterical laughter, I scowled at him once I had gained control again, why wasn't my mask working?.

We were on the grass some 10 meters from where we had started, I looked up to lose myself in his eyes. He was close, he looked at my eyes and slowly traveled his gaze down to my lips. I noticed how his breath had gone ragged and mine caught, he was _so_ close. He leaned in, his dark brown hair touching my shoulder, his nose touching mine, it was so soft.

Soft? What is wrong with me?

I couldn't move, couldn't shove him off me, not that I _wanted_ to... He leaned in once more and our lips met, we broke apart but I couldn't see, I needed him, needed to feel his lips on mine once more.

I put my hand behind his head and gently pushed his lips against mine in a lustful kiss. We broke off for air again;

"Don't worry, there's enough of me to go around." I rolled my eyes;

"Mithros Dom, can't you just enjoy something without being sarcastic for once?" He leaned in and kissed me again. His eyes flashed mischief;

"I take back what I said about Meathead rubbing off on you, or else this would just be gross." I rolled my eyes again. But this was Dom, this is what I liked about him. I kissed him again. He put his hands in my hair and I put mine in his and we just kissed in the grass as if the world would end tomorrow and we'd never see each other again.

"Kel!" Someone shouted in the distance, someone who sounded a lot like Sir Raoul of Goldenlake and Malorie's Peak.

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_**I hope you liked the first chapter of my story, it promises to be quite funny and quite fluffy**_...

**_Please review but don't go hard on me this is my first fanfic. Hope you like it..._**

**_ xxTunstall Chickxx _**


	2. Towels and Kimonos

_**--REVISED CHAPTER--**_

**_Hope you liked chapter 1#_** _**Once**** again please review...**_

_**I know chapter one was really rushed but I'm just trying to find my pace.. also the story will get more exciting I just need to figure out how it'll happen**_

_**thank you abyssgirl and Irish Ninja Chick keep reviewing! **_

_**Disclaimer: I am not Tamora Pierce, if you thought so, please visit Neal...**_

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_"Kel!" Someone shouted in the distance, someone who sounded like Sir Raoul of Goldenlake and Malorie's Peak._

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"That's Sir Raoul!" Dom looked at me panicked,

"Get off! Get off!" We sprang apart and stood up, I tripped on a tree root and went face down in the mud.

"Keladry?" Lord Raoul had come up with Neal. Dom was laughing_, **hard**._ He was clutching the tree to keep him standing as Sir Raoul and Neal looked at me. A red-faced-from-laughing but finally silent Dom held out a hand for me and I grabbed it, failing my Yamani mask and letting my embarrassment show. I looked up defiantly, (probably not the smartest move) showing my former Knight Master and my best friends my mud covered face. Sir Raoul chuckled covering his mouth with one gigantic hand, Neal raised his eyebrows, smiling openly and Dom was biting his lips to stop himself from laughing again. I glared at each of the men finally settling my gaze on Sir Raoul.

"Sir?" I asked politely "You called?" He lowered his hand.

"Just wanted to greet my former squire but I see that might be a problem." I scowled and went to bathe.

Merric grinned up at me as I sat down, I glared at him, daring him to mention something. He wisely kept his mouth shut but I knew the other occupants of the table were laughing silently behind my back. I just sighed and dug into my food, not really hungry.

Talk finally turned to Steadfast and New Hope and I finally started listening, but still I did not speak.

I walked to my rooms after dinner thoughtful, Dom's squad was coming to New Hope, I had no clue how I felt about this. I had enjoyed the kisses I had shared with him, but had they meant some thing? He was so hard to read, it was frustrating! I was wondering what my feelings for Dom were when I opened my door and went inside my rooms. All day when I looked at him my lips ached to meet his, yet I couldn't kiss him in front of everyone so I just stuck to looking away for most of the day. I threw myself onto my bed but sleep would not come, I took my Glaive down and started my dances. Tired and sweaty I prepared a bath, once it was ready I took my clothes off in my privy and put them on my bed then slipped into the cold water.

I slipped out and wrapped myself in a red towel towel to dry off. I walked back into my room to find the dirty clothes on the bed gone, probably the maid's doing. I went to get my saddle bags from under the bed, they weren't there. What the? I searched my room far and wide wrapped still in only my small, bright red towel. I scowled; I will kill Third Company! I opened the door barely, just poking my head out, no servants around, figures! Suddenly Wolset and Flyndan turned the corner laughing at something, I closed the door before they could see me. I sat on the bed waiting for a maid or servant, for Yuki or just anybody I could trust to knock on her door.

I opened my eyes bleakly in the morning light and scowled, nobody had knocked on my door all evening so I was still clothes-less. I stood up and my towel slipped, falling to the ground. I picked it up and wound it tight around my body making sure it wouldn't fall off again. It went from my peaches to just barely covering my rump, I couldn't walk around like this! But no one had come to help me and I couldn't stay in all day. It was already time for breakfast! I never sleep in, ever! Somebody would come to look for me soon, I just prayed it wasn't Dom, I don't know how well my mask would work in this situation, i didn't want to risk it. After about half a bell I thought my luck run out, my heart lifted when I heard a polite little knock on my door, that could mean only one person, Yuki.

I went to the door and opened it carefully, concealing my body behind my sturdy wooden door, Yuki looked at my face, raised an eyebrow and asked; "Why aren't you coming to breakfast?"

I waved her in quickly, scanning the hall and closed the door behind her, she saw me in only a towel and scanned the room with her eyes, seeing where my possessions were, Yuki was sharp, when she didn't see them, she put the two together. her eyes narrowed dangerously, I didn't even have to bother explaining it, he had understood.

"Stay here Kel. I'll be back." She started her quick, precise Yamani strides out of the room and down the hall where she disappeared, to get me clothes I hoped.

Yuki lent me a breast band, a loincloth and a kimono for she had naught else and we went back to breakfast. I put my tray down on the table sitting beside Yuki. Neal saw me in a kimono and raised an eyebrow. "Isn't that Yuki's--"n he shut up with a glare from his new wife. I gave Yuki a grateful look and turned back to the table, I glared at Wolset and Dom, they alone would do such a thing. They both looked away trying to act innocent. "I cannot believe you two would sink that low." I said quietly, deadly. "What did we do?" Wolset asked, his usual practiced line. I glared death at him and Dom broke out laughing, I turned to him, looking even more deadly. He gulped and then stopped laughing. "What did you do?" Neal asked, confused as ever.

"If what you mean, protector, is stealing all your clothes so you had to wait borrow someone else's then it was not us. We would never do such a thing." Dom said, innocently.

"Never." Stated Wolset.

The table burst out laughing, I kept my anger in check, glad for the mask that stopped me from turning red.

'Oh yes? None at all?" I asked sweetly.

"Wolset looked taken aback at my tone, Dom recovered quickly.

"No, none." He confirmed. I nodded, turning my head back to my food. The table was still chuckling.

"What a lovely kimono." Cleon stated simply as he set his tray down, he had not been there during the 'show'. At that remark the whole table went off again, I glared at Cleon who looked bewildered;

"What'd I say?" At _that_, the whole table laughed _harder_. Yuki hid her smile behind her shukusen, I stood up and stocked out of the mess hall, their laughter echoing behind me.

A knock on my door interrupted my stretches. I opened the door to find two saddle bags with my clothes outside. I went back into my room and changed into my clothes. Sir Raoul knocked on my door slightly after;

"Do you wish to tilt _ex_-squire?" I looked into his hopeful eyes, "Sure." He grinned:

"I'll have Qindan bring down the lances and the water, can you supply you're own towel? You seem to like them so much..." I spluttered indignantly:

"Y-You saw that?" His eyes flashed mischievously.

"Red's not your colour." My jaw dropped, he barked a laugh and kept laughing as he walked back down the hall. I slammed the door shut, fuming.

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_**I know this once again is a little rushed but I will slow the pace I promise. More Kel/Dom fluff coming up and then the real adventure begins!!**_

_**Hope you liked it so far please review... Thanks in advance...**_

_**xxTunstall Chickxx **_


	3. Kel Seeks Revenge

_**Here goes the next chap...**_

_**EmpressOfPudding**__**: Here you go, the real adventure finally starts (even if it is at the bottom of this chapter)**_

_**Irish Ninja Chick:**__** Yes, well, rolling down stairs does seem painful... (Well I accidentally do it every week so I should know)**_

_**Disclaimer: I am not Tamora Pierce, if you thought so, please visit Neal...**_

_** --Thank you to all who reviewed!--**_

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"Do you wish to tilt ex-squire?" I looked into his hopeful eyes, "Sure." He grinned:

"I'll have Qindan bring down the lances and the water, can you supply you're own towel? You seem to like them so much..." I spluttered indignantly:

"Y-You saw that?" His eyes flashed mischievously.

"Red's not your colour." My jaw dropped, he barked a laugh and kept laughing as he walked back down the hall. I slammed the door shut, fuming.

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**_Okay that's it! _**Yes, me, the ever calm Kel, has finally snapped. If anyone else makes another towel remark I will personally take my glaive and shove it--no I am calm...

I am sitting outside and trying to relax even though it is hard with the catcalls from the sentries, gods, not even threatening them with Latrine duty seems to bash their happiness! I envision a lake, calm, trusting, serene. I am stone, nothing can cut me, I am a rock, I shall not crumble. Finally as calm as I can be in this situation I started thinking up a plan. They were probably celebrating with their squad, I am not a petty **_lady_** who would go and cry on somebody's shoulder, I am not a **_soldier_** and will not pretend that nothing happened, I am a _**Yamani**_ and like any Yamani would, I was planning my revenge.

**_--The next day--_**

I walked into the mess hall serene and content, I picked up my tray and went to sit down with some of the squad, Neal and Yuki.

I smiled as I sat down and everyone looked at me. I grinned evily.

"Oh Mithros, I actually feel sorry for Dom." That was Lerant.

"What did you do?" Raoul had joined us and his eyes twinkled with excitement. I ignored them and went back to eating my breakfast. They all looked at each other, shrugged and went back to eating their own.

I looked outside once down and saw that the sun was almost completely up, I grinned again and handed my tray in to the kitchen staff and went outside. Once more the occupants of the table looked at each other and then they too put their trays away and jogged after me. I smiled at them.

Aidan's squad had joined us and decided to walk with us, they couldn't wait to see their fellow sergeant and corporal to be humiliated, little did they know that today was only the beginning...

They started to talk but then I had to shush them, we had gotten close to the barracks where the Own slept. I had made sure to get everybody out without waking Dom and Wolset and now it was time to have them wake up. I signaled Tobe who ran into the barracks yelling at full speed. He ran back out and we heard crashing noises.

All the soldiers, Raoul, Neal and Yuki looked at me in wonder but I shook my head and pointed. More loud crashes and the door burst open.

The bucket containing feathers Tobe and I had collected yesterday fell on their heads sticking to their bodies. Then I signaled the sparrows, they dive bombed the two men and they covered their heads and ran, into Peachblossom. They fell to the ground and Tobe pulled Peachblossom away. Well the Peachblossom part I hadn't set up, that was an accident but it was for the better.

We crowded around the two, the people who had been watching with me where laughing and close to tears. The two men were covered in honey and feathers and bird excrements. I stifled a laugh as I stared at them. They looked up at me and then gulped, finally understanding who it was that had played the joke on them. They stood up, their pride hurt and marched away, trying to hold some dignity. They dissappeared into the men's baths and the group burst again with laughter, I joined them full-heartedly this time.

"Anyone care to explain what is so funny?" A redheaded, purple-eyed knight strolled into view.

"Alanna?" Raoul looked at her disbelievingly, "What're you doing here?"

"Just rode in, wanted to see Steadfast. I passed New Hope, like what you've done with the place." she directed the last comment at me, I felt myself blush and bowed somewhat clusmily.

"You still haven't answered my first question." She stated calmly.

"I just got back at Wolset and Dom for a prank they played on me yesterday."

She arched an eyebrow at me; "What did they do to you? And what did you do back? I am most curious."

I looked away and Raoul took up the story.

"Well I'm not sure what happened exactly, but yesterday morning a certain Lady Knight walked into the mess hall for breakfast wearing naught but a _small_ red towel."

The men were containing their laughter. I blushed a little but glared daggers at Raoul. Alanna looked at me and raised her eyebrows again.

"What? I had a bath and _somehow_, my clothes mysteriously disappeared."

"I see. What did you do to them?"

I looked defiantly at the men around me and then looked at Alanna's eyes.

"Tobe called the alarm to them. They jumped to get dressed and ran to the staircase, the landing was covered in oil. They fell down the stairs which were covered in honey and tumbled out the door, which was home to a bucket of bird feathers. My sparrows atacked them and they ran into my horse Peachblossom, which was there on accident but worked well anyways."

Once again the crowd burst into laughter but most were watching me in awe and some were a little scared. Alanna laughed along with them. When they were done though, Alanna wiped a stray tear from her face and set her expression to one of mild rage.

I looked at her startled for a second. Alanna advanced on Raoul.

"Stole all her clothes and left nothing but a towel huh? I wonder where they could've gotten that idea!" Her finger was pointed at his chest accusingly as she advanced, he was slowly backing up. I arched my eyebrow at Raoul.

"Oh c'mon Alanna! we only did it once, besides it was hilarious."

"Hilarious? Hilarious?!"

And then they were off, Alanna chasing Raoul throughout the courtyard as the Third Company laughed.

I shook my head and walked away, smiling.

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I was staring out into the sunset marveling at what a great day I had had. Dom and Wolset had avoided me but that didn't bug me. The sun was setting in a pink and orange glow, it was beautiful. I knew I should go back into Steadfast before it got too dark but I couldn't peel my eyes away.

Finally the sun set and I turned to walk back in. An orange glow filled the air around me. magic! I tried to cry out but no sound was made. I struggled but the magic kept me in place, the darkness closed in.

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_**I**__** would like to say sorry for leaving all my wonderful reviewers hanging but i had to finish my other story first but I am back! Secondly I am sorry for the cliffy, I may have another chapter out today though. Thirdly I know you were all expecting to have a story about pranks and such, but my story is full of adventure and such, that includes pranks but I wanted to put some movement in there too. So now as you can see, someone has magicked our Lady Knight! And I'll tell you this much, Dom and Wolset have nothing to do with this.**_

_**Keep Reading!**_

_**xxTunstall Chickxx**_

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	4. No One To Help Me, No One At All

_**Thank you to everyone who reviewed and I ask again, PLEASE REVIEW! I LOVE YOUR IDEAS AND YOUR ORIGINALITY, YOU DON'T KNOW IF I'LL LIKE YOUR IDEAS IF YOU DON'T TRY! (JUST MY HUMBLE OPINION.)**_

_**LITTLEFREEEAGLE: Now you know about the magic that was (involuntarily) used to capture Kel!**_

**_EmpressOfPudding:_****_ Of course Peachblossom bit a few of the men! What do you take him for? A mare?_**

**_PuppyBekaCooper:_** _**Don't worry, you'll get your hissy fit eventually...**_

_**Disclaimer: I am not Tamora Pierce, if you thought so, please visit Neal...**_

_**Thank you to everyone who reviewed Keep reading!**_

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_I was staring out into the sunset marveling at what a great day I had had. Dom and Wolset had avoided me but that didn't bug me. The sun was setting in a pink and orange glow, it was beautiful. I knew I should go back into Steadfast before it got too dark but I couldn't peel my eyes away._

_Finally the sun set and I turned to walk back in. An orange glow filled the air around me. Magic! I tried to cry out but no sound was made. I struggled but the magic kept me in place, the darkness closed in._

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I woke up with a start, making my back hurt incredibly, visions of the previous night swamped my head and I looked around to figure out my surroundings...

I was trying to move but couldn't until I realized that I was tied to a tree, _I must've hit my head..._

What happened? All I remember was an orange glow, Magic! But whose? And more importantly why? My head throbbed and so did the rest of my body, I must've been tied pretty roughly to this tree. I tried to wiggle out of it but I was strapped in too tightly and any weapons concealed about my person had disappeared. I froze at the sound of footsteps from behind me;

"My my, I see the prisoner has finally awoken." A man with a heavy accent said with a sneer. I tried to turn my body to see who the speaker was but the tree impeded my doing so.

"Who are you?" I choked on my words, my mouth parch dry.

The man laughed and went away leaving me alone to my thoughts. _Damn!_ Where am I?

It was very early in the morning and I stayed strapped into the tree for a couple of hours until midday when the sun was halfway up the sky. I heard noises again, but they were definitely not belonging to just one person. Suddenly someone started loosening the straps on the back of the tree. I fell forward with a lurch into the dirt-covered forest floor.

Ringing vile laughter floated from around me and I was hauled to my feet, too sore to do so myself. Around me I saw the faces of a very strange crowd. Over fifty Scanrans, Gallans, Carthaki and what I believe where Copper Isles men stood in front of me. Men of different countries banded together? That could not be right. This could not be happening. Whatever _this _was..

I tried to ask questions but was ignored. my hands were roughly tied together and then tied to a horse. The men watched me and laughed. They mounted their horses and started off to wherever we were headed. I seemed to have been attached to the leader's horse and he was the last one to mount up. He rode slowly to he front, I had to walk very fast to keep up.

They then started at a medium pace, obviously wanting to leave and make good time. I had to run to avoid being dragged. It was exhausting and even with my stamina I couldn't last more than half and hour. The other men were jeering insults at me and laughing seeing the world renown Lady Knight in ragged clothing tied to a horse, running to avoid being dragged. Just as they had thought, women had no right to fight! I'll show them, I gritted my teeth and kept running.

After another half an hour they stopped to water the horses, I was exhausted having run for an hour straight, my muscles were screaming in pain but I did not let it show in my face, I would not give them this satisfaction.

After that we started off again at a gentler pace, I still had to fight to keep up but walking was of course less exhausting than running. we went until late and then they set up camp. Although summer, the nights were cold and they commenced a fire which they sat me beside. At least they had the decency to keep their captives from freezing to death.

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The men then sat around me, I was bound and this time gagged by a putrid cloth. The man whose horse I had been attached to, and who looked like the leader of these kidnappers leered at me. His face was pale and he had blond hair so light it would seem white, a Scanran no less. His teeth were crooked and stuck out at odd ends while his eyes were a freezing blue, he reminded me vaguely of Joren although he was no where near as handsome and of course, Joren was killed in the chamber while I was still a squire.

He gazed at me with blocks of ice that made my skin raise in bumps.

"So yer wonderin' why we would bother to kidnap a wench like ye, eh?"

My eyes widened barely but he saw it. He barked a laugh.

"We're here on hi' majesties orders. We were to kidnap ye' and bring you to Scanra."

One of the Gallans spoke up;

"Th' bloodsucker king of Tortall is going to invade us in the end, we knows it, so we needed someone who meant something to kidnap as an example."

This man spoke better than the Scanran but right now his accent was not as important as what he had said. King Jonathan would not invade Scanra, Galla, The Copper Isles or Carthak! And why me? Of all the knights why me?

"The king listens to us, he knows what's right."

"Ye, and yer a girl. Women can' fight, yer no fighters yer just bed warmers!" This was met with a chorus of Hear Hears. I looked at him with disgust as the leader spoke again.

"Keladry Of Mindelan, you created a crime when ye went around showing women they can fight, ye had no right. Yer a wench, a filthy whor' who's gonna learn her place. Once we'r done wiv ye, ye won' go sayin' garbage like that no more."

"We'll get all the information we can out of you and then ransom you to yer precious king, but when ye go back, ye won't be more than a broken object, too scared to do anything but cry, like all the others."

This was a Carthaki who spoke up and all the heads nodded their agreement. I was to say the least, terrified. It is not like me to be scared, let alone terrified but they were not going to stop at anything to get the desired information, if I gave in they'd ransom me, If I kept shut, they'd kill me, its a no-win situation. I swore an oath to my king and my country I will not give away any secrets regarding my people or Tortall and like I swore, I will not tell, even if that means death by torture.

**_--The end--_**

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(Ha Ha, I'm not that evil)

The men went off and got, no surprises, drunk. Not too drunk, but still fairly gone. This was my chance of escape, but my body chose right now to be un-cooperating. I then felt a tingle of orange. How do you _feel _orange? The mage! I had almost forgotten how I had been kidnapped, I looked around me carefully, someone was using magic to keep me from running, so at least someone was sober. I looked into the eyes of a blond man with green eyes. Somehow he didn't look as mean as the others. Something about him told me that he was indeed not like the others. He made his way over to me and crouched beside me, he spoke to me in a hushed whisper;

"My name is Nikolaus, Nick, I'm on your side."

I looked at him, I knew it was stupid to trust a man supposedly enemy when they said they were on your side, but something about him gave me faith.

"I heard about this expedition in Galla where I was just a wanderin' stranger but I knew what they were doin' was wrong, Keladry of Mindelan is known everywhere, you bring hope to people, especially women you have no right to this torture. So I joined.'

He shrugged his shoulder at his explanation, he still spoke silently and looked at me in disgust, so not to look suspicious to the others. I blushed slightly as his praise. He was slightly taller than me and looked barely years older maybe even the same age but it was dark and hard for me to tell. He was, like the other men, dressed simple but had somewhat of a clean shine around him. Obviously the men were being paid by somebody because while they were; 'ruffled' from riding but they were dressed somewhat well with breeches and shirts that were neither torn nor completely ragged, they were being paid, and by the looks of it, well.

Nikolaus looked at me and continued, he seemed to be trying to communicate everything to me before we were interrupted, who knew when the next time we could talk (he could talk) would be.

"My lover Sebastianna, Saby, is here as well..." I widened my eyes and looked around. For the first time I noticed there were some women among these men, very little but some, obviously wenches (in the real sense) for no man would take his wife with him on a ride such as this. A pretty blond woman gave me the slightest of nods, obviously indicating she was Sebastianna (Saby). She was tall although slightly shorter than me with big almond eyes.

"Sebastianna came with me, she knows of you too of course. She knows what they are doing is wrong and she will help us with escaping, whenever that will be."

I tried to tell him; _why not now?_ but the magic impeded me to talk. He seemed to get the jest though because he answered the unasked question;

"The men may be somewhat drunk but they always remain sober enough, especially Ralstone. Ralstone is the chief of this expedition, he alone answers to the king."

I nodded slightly, as much as the magic allowed me. He placed a hand in his pocket and produced something, he placed the necklace around my neck, I saw it was a pregnancy charm. I turned beet red and was about to ask him the meaning of it but Nikolaus stood up abruptly and grabbed me by the tunic, lifting my dead weight into the air with a strength I hadn't noticed he possessed and he slapped me, _hard_. The impact sent me sprawling on the floor still unable to move from the magic. I looked at him and saw an almost invisible sign of sadness in his eyes. I heard footsteps approaching, _that explains it! He had to pretend to hurt so others wouldn't be suspicious, although he could've hit softer._ That slap had _hurt_ although if it had been softer it wouldn't 've been as realistic, but still.

The men laughed at the image of me on the ground. Then Ralstone signaled Nikolaus. I felt a weight lifted off me, wait, _Nikolaus_ is the mage? Well that would help in future escape attempts.

I had the use of my legs again even though my hands were still tied. I stood up quickly. Ralstone looked at me and then slapped me. If I had thought that Nick had slapped me hard this certainly changed my mind. It was so hard that if he had hit any harder my head would no longer be attached to my neck. I yelped and fell to my knees. The men laughed again, Ralstone picked me up by the hair which was tied in a ponytail. I bit back a scream of pain as he raised me to my feet. He put a hand on my back and shoved me into a tent. The men jeered, as I fell down inside. I looked around, this seemed to be Ralstone's tent. Realization dawned on me like the sun in the darkness, I fingered the new charm around my neck and sent a silent thank you to Nick.

Ralstone came in and shut the tent flap behind him, I gulped.

"So, ready to learn your place wench?" He laughed his vile, cruel laugh that made my blood curdle and then came towards me.

This was the thing I stopped. Women around Tortall could count on me to help them, I was there to help them whenever I could, but now, there was no one to help me, no one at all.

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_**Kind of long I know...**_

_**You all know whats happening, and I will end my chapter here because I do not wish to describe it, I'm sure you can imagine pretty well what happens. And to those readers who hold on to the thread of hope I am afraid I must have to cut it. Kel cannot escape this one, she does not escape the men, she does not get saved by Nick or Sebastianna and Dom does not ride in with his white stallion (I say that in all means metaphorically) I do not say it to be mean but so that you do not get your hopes up to high just to have them crash down around you again. I am sorry but Kel's the chiefs bed warmer, at least for tonight that is...**_

**_Sorry, really I am,_**

_**Keep Reading (and Reviewing)**_,

**_xxTunstall Chickxx_**

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	5. Who? KKel

_**Thanks to all my reviewers! Hope you like it and sorry for not updating sooner!  
**_

_**Disclaimer: I am not Tamora Pierce, if you thought so, please visit Neal...**_

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Ralstone came in and shut the tent flap behind him, I gulped.

_"So, ready to learn your place wench?" He laughed his vile, cruel laugh that made my blood curdle and then came towards me._

_This was the thing I stopped. Women around Tortall could count on me to help them, I was there to help them whenever I could, but now, there was no one to help me, no one at all._

* * *

--

I woke up to a powerful headache that swept through me like wildfire, nothing like waking up to that. Images of the previous nigh swept into my mind and I felt tears well up in my eyes. I shut my eyes, trying to drown the images that sadly I could still see. My body felt like lead, heavy and un co-operating so I sat there, alone and shamed, and truly scared. Me, Keladry of Mindelan am scared, I am a knight, I'm not supposed to be scared of these men, but after enduring a woman's worst nightmare I really don't know what to think. And so, for the first time in a long time, I allowed myself to cry, in earnest, let all my tears fall without trying to hold them in, it was no use to try anyways.

The men seemed to be around the campfire and I couldn't wait any longer. I swept over the tent in search of my clothes. I struggled in my exhaustion, trying to get them on and feeling terrible. Once they were on I noticed the spot of blood on my breeches. I scowled but the scene brought back memories and I was flooded with tears again.

A head peeked into the tent;

"Nikolaus!'

He frowned; "I do wish you would call me Nick."

He stopped when he saw my tear stained face. He came over and placed his arms around me in a safe and reassuring hug. I felt much relieved in his arms and was flooded with the thoughts of my friends. If they were here they'd be the ones to hug me, the ones to make me feel better. I thought of Neal, Yuki, Owen, Merric, Seaver Faleron, Dom-Dom! I chocked again in tears, Dom, he would never want me to see me again, if he knew what I had done. I sobbed harder than ever and reluctantly Nick stepped back. He waved a hand in the air and I felt my body go rigid, I dropped to the ground unable to move. I fell on my face, _great_, more bruises. Nick looked at me with sadness as the tent flap opened again. Ralstone and two other men stood there they looked at me and laughed,

Ralstone closed his eyes and licked his lips. Clearly enjoying something the others hadn't experienced, all my hatred tore at the man in front of me. I wanted to pierce his black heart and run him through with my sword, but my being weaponless and my being help captive by magic impeded it. Ralstone barked a laugh and motioned to Nikolaus to drop the spell. he waved his hand again and I was free, fat lot of help that did me as I was dead on my ... back? Yes, I guess that'd work. Ralstone roughly pulled me to my feet and launched me out of the tent laughing all the way. I stumbled out and fell into the dirt. Men all around me jeered.

"Knew ye was just a weakling, yer down in the dirt, groveling, like all the other women."

Ralstone stepped into the newly formed circle of men and looked down at my crumpled form. I bit my lip and used all my energy to stand up. I stumbled to my feet feeling wary. Ralstone's eyes flashed in anger and amusement. He pulled back and punched me hard enough to almost break my jaw, _almost_. I fell onto the ground hard.

"When Ralstone say's yer down, then ye stay down, wench."

The men laughed again.

"It would seem that the girl needs a reminder of who's in charge." The well-speaking Carthaki spoke up.

All the heads nodded in agreement. A rough pair of hands hauled me to my feet once more. I tried to fight but I was too drained. A man held my hands behind my back as a giant Scanran came forward from the crowd. His eyes screamed blood lust. He punched and I felt my body crumple, beneath me, I was held up right by the hands and the Scanran came forward once more.

My breath came in wheezes, I was so close to passing out it was a miracle I hadn't already. We had to get moving again, we were now deep within the Tortallan forest that I had no notion which way was South and which way was North. The group had to keep moving else risking capture but I was in no position to walk so I was loaded on a horse with one of the women. They traveled sideways in saddle but they rode fast like the rest of the group. It took me a while to notice I was sharing a saddle with Sebastianna. She leaned in the saddle so as to speak to me;

"You're okay now lass, at least for a while, try to get some sleep." I shot her a grateful look and slipped into unconsciousness rather than sleep.

* * *

--

I woke to the horse's being settled down. I was grabbed from the saddle, I almost cried out in pain from my aching body but bit my lip before I did. I would never let them know they bested me, never give them _that_ satisfaction.

"Ge' up!" I stumbled upright and was shoved towards the campfire. My stomach rumbled; when was the last time I had _eaten_ something?

As if answering the unasked question a man shoved stale bread and bean soup into my trembling hands. I scarfed it down quickly and then the men went back to whatever else they were doing. I curled into a ball and tried to sleep. I had finally drifted off into a dreamless sleep when I was being shaken awake for what felt like the hundredth time today.

"Yer day's not over _Knight_." I looked up into Ralstones chillingly mercy-less cold eyes and shuddered.

* * *

--

This time when I woke up I was still quite desperate but less so than yesterday. I have officially resigned myself to this but I will never, _never_ be okay with it. My thoughts wandered back to Dom and tears filled my eyes. Dom, through all this, Dom was the one who made me cry, not purposely of course but still any thoughts of him set me off.

* * *

--

My morning went much like the other and some of my bones I was acutely aware of being broken. At least two broken ribs and a broken jaw and a finger. Both eyes blacked and my body more blue than pink. I could hardly walk or put coherent words together after about a week. Everyday it got worse. Nick could only do so much and he couldn't heal. At the end of the week we were exactly in the middle of Tortall's Forest, half way already to Scanra.

On the last day of the week the men decided to change the routine. One slammed me into a tree I nearly screamed with pain. My mind was reeling, my broken bones hurting so much to bring tears to my eyes. I couldn't breathe, everything was fuzzy. I did notice that someone had tied me to the tree, applying constant pressure to my broken ribs. A loud "THWACK" brought me back, as well as a searing pain in my back.

I bit my lip until it bled. Whipping, It should be banned! I writhed as it came back and back again. I let a soft whimper escape my mouth as I fought off unconsciousness.

An alarm call rang from behind the crowd and they parted. The alarm rang to announce enemies. The men scrambled to their packs, everything was set to go already so they all just ran to their horses.

"What about the prisoner?"

"There's no time! We'll get her another day!" Ralstone shouted at his men. They took off at a gallop in the opposite direction leaving me strapped on to a tree.

* * *

_**Two Weeks Prior**_

"Sergeant!" Raoul said sharply. Dom jolted his head out of the clouds.

"Yes milord?" Dom had been far away dreaming of Kel, he hoped she was okay.

Raoul scuffed a rock with his boot as he looked at the sergeant of Third Company. Domitan of Masbolle had been different from the disappearance of one of his closest friends and Raoul's former squire; Keladry of Mindelan. Dom and Kel had been close friends and she had been kidnapped and had disappeared off the face of Tortall apparently. People had been searching for two days but had come back empty handed, his sergeant needed to snap out of it, she had been gone for little and there was still hope. There was nothing they could do, other squads were already looking and as much as Dom wanted to he had orders to stay put.

"There were traces of Scanran raiders in the forest." Raoul grinned at his sergeant. Dom looked at him with a strange face.

"Dom, you need to get out of here, she'll be fine, there is nothing you can do, you need fresh air and some Scanrans will definitely raise your spirits."

Dom thought about it, yes, he definitely needed some fresh air and Scanrans were becoming a rare treasure nowadays with the war coming to an end and all. Dom grinned at Raoul;

"Let's go catch us some Scanrans."

Raoul smiled; "Now you're thinking."

Neal popped his head in the door.

"Couldn't help over hearing--"

"Bet you couldn't." muttered Dom.

Neal sent him a scorching look; "I need to get out of here too, would there be space in your company for one lone knight?"

"And a humble one at that." Dom added grinning.

Raoul laughed at the two cousins. Troubled as they were by Kel's disappearance they still managed to make him laugh. To speak truthfully he was dreadfully worried about her too, but there was nothing he could do except hope. Besides, Dom and Neal weren't the only one with orders to stay put in the search for Kel.

And so Third Company left along with Sir Nealan of Queenscove. They made somewhat of a sourly group at times, all worried for Kel but they still managed to laugh and joke every once in a while. That is what Kel would have wanted, them to move on, in case she did not return.

* * *

**_2 Weeks Later_**

"We have them." Lord Raoul told his soldiers in the morning.

"Now all we have to do is go in and get them." He grinned at his troops and added;

"Be careful. Now Dom, Flyndann you take your troops and --" and they made plans. An hour before dawn they were ready to pick out the sentries.

The sentries landed in the hands of the black god one by one, a horn call sounded. _Blast!_ One of the sentries had raised the alarm. The squads invaded camp but the men had already ridden away. There was nothing even the archers could do.

They raked what remained of the bare camp and found nothing but a bloody whip.

"A _whip_? Why on earth would they have a whip?" Neal sounded disgusted as he looked at it.

"No clue Meathead. Maybe to whip somebody?" Neal scowled at his cousin who grinned good-naturedly, even if they had lost the Scanrans.

Neal was about to retort when he heard the softest of whimpers. A dog? A cat? A wounded animal? Dom seemed to have heard the whimper too because he looked at Neal and they went towards where the sound had come from.

A lone figure was strapped to a tree, face towards the bark. Their back was soaked with fresh blood, covered entirely. Dom and Neal grimaced at each other and ran to the figure. Dom took a knife from his belt and hacked the chords that held the person.

The unconscious figure fell into Neal's arms, the two leaned over to see who it was. Dom yelled in shock, loudly, sending some of his men scrambling into the little clearing with the tree.

"Sergeant?" Wolset's voice echoed his question.

Neal's voice shook as he gasped; "W-Wol-Wolset get Raoul n-now!"

"Sir Meathead, who is it?"

"K-Kel, we-we've found her."

Wolset's eyes widened in shock and he ran for all it was worth back to Raoul.

'Wolset what the matter?" Raoul asked the corporal.

"Neal-Dom-they've-they've found.." (note use of Neal's real name...)

"Who? Who've they found?"

"K-Kel."

Raoul ran, with Wolset right behind him, followed by every man in Third Company. They ran to Neal and Dom to find a small figure laying crumpled on the ground. The ground was soaked in its blood.

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_**Yes, I know, evil cliffy but I had to. I had a long bout of Writer's block and have forced myself to write this and it turned out better hen I'd thought, worse than I'd hoped. I won't write another word until I recieve at least two reviews, there, that doesn't sound like I'm asking too much. Does it? Hope you like this chapter. I know it seems rushed but it happens over a long period of time, and thats what counts, I hope.**_

**_I'm tired that every time that Kel gets kidnapped evrybody moansd and gets drunk so I've tried to change it slightly, hope you like it._**

_**I didn't want this fic to be about some stuffy conservatives trying to over throw the king because I don't like political novels so they failed in their first attempt but rest assured, they definitely haven't given up and they don't plan to so this is definitely not the end. It will get better I promise!**_

**_Sorry for the weird chapter!_**

_**Keep Reading,**_

_**xxTunstall Chickxx**_

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	6. Cut The Charm

**_This is a dark chapter at the beginning and sad at the end, the middle is somewhat happy though so bear with me. I know I am mean in this chapter but it'll get better, and that's a promise._**

**_Disclaimer: I am not Tamora Pierce, if you thought so, please visit Neal..._**

_**Thank you to all my wonderful reviewers!**_

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_"Neal-Dom-they've-they've found.."_

__

"Who? Who've they found?"

"K-Kel."

Raoul ran, with Wolset right behind him, followed by every man in Third Company. They ran to Neal and Dom to find a small figure laying crumpled on the ground. The ground was soaked in its blood.

* * *

--

Raoul skidded to a halt and dropped to his knees looking at his ex-squire.

Her face was bruised in every possible colour, her eyes were swollen and black, her lips carried cuts that had bled, the dry blood plastered to her hair with and both sides of her head. The most notable feature was a cross that was fresh and that still bled. The 'X' was two whip lashes that crossed over her nose and to her temples and bases of the jaw. Two at least of her fingers looked broken, Raoul suspected the left wrist to be as well and her left arm was twisted in a position that a normal arm couldn't twist in. Her arms were both black and blue by beatings and she wore a bloody scratch down her right arm. Her breeches were torn and you could clearly see bruises. Her breeches and shirt were covered in her own blood, most of it dried.

Neal was looking at her horrified and Dom wore an even uglier and more horrified expression. The men of Third Company wore similar expressions as well and they looked with severe pity at Kel. Raoul was at a loss for words, his ex-squire, his only decent squire, the first official girl squire in centuries lay there in front of him. Broken, beaten, torn apart. Tears sprung to his eyes and he saw that the same happened to many of the men's faces as well.

Neal, face twisted by tears, laid her body gently on the ground.

"My-my b-back!" whimpered Kel. Everybody started, Kel? Kel was dead, nobody could have suffered these wounds and still live. But it had been Kel, her mouth had barely moved but they had seen it, she was alive!

Dom looked at her, terrified and shocked and Neal who was just as much shocked gently turned her over, a moan escaped Kel's cracked lips.

The company flinched in horror at the sight of her back. It was a bloody mess, whip marks crisscrossed all over her back.

"MITHROS!"

The company caught unawares jumped to look behind them. There stood the Lioness and another company of men.

"Alanna?! What're you doing here?"

"We were chasing killer unicorns a little ways off and heard a horn call, we came in assistance." She shrugged it off simply.

"Who is that?" she asked sharply pointing at the figure in Neal's arms.

The men suddenly remembered Kel and turned back to her silently.

"Do I need to repeat the question?" The Lioness's tone was not one to ignore.

"It's-it's Kel." Raoul stuttered.

Alanna's eyes flew open in shock and she ran to Neal's side.

"Kel? Kel!"

Kel opened her swollen eyes and mumbled "Lanna?"

"Kel? What happened?"

"I hurt too much." she gasped through gritted teeth, Alanna seemed to snap out of her shock and let her magic flow over the other knight's body. She grimaced as she searched and then she gasped as she removed her magic.

"Seven!"

"Seven?" Raoul asked

'Seven broken bones and a concussion, thats not possible for someone to live through!"

The men of the kings own shuddered, _Seven_ broken bones.

"Kel how do you feel?"

"Going black.." Kel moaned and then she closed her eyes.

"No!" shouted the Lioness; "Kel! Stay awake! Neal, I need your help."

Green and purple magic surrounded her body, Alanna called for magical reinforcements. All the men with the gift poured it into her and Neal.

After several hours of waiting, hoping, wondering, Alanna and Neal withdrew their powers exhaustedly from Kel's body.

"She's going to be fine, physically." gasped Alanna and then she fell into Wolset's arms. He carried her into the newly set up camp and put her to bed. Neal stumbled towards his and fell asleep immediately.

Raoul picked up Keladry who was unconscious somberly and brought her into a cot in the make-shift infirmary.

Sourly the men went to bed, Kel would be alright, physically, what about mentally? Who could've done this? Why? They let the bastards that had done it go! Frustrated they all fell in gruesome sleeps, Kel's hideous wounds flashing in their minds.

* * *

--

Morning broke and all the men went to make breakfast, they didn't talk except once to ask how Kel was faring, she was still asleep.

Third Company and Second who had come with Alanna stationed themselves in a big clearing, they wouldn't be moving until their sick were tended.

The third day Alanna and Neal both woke up. They ate little and fell back asleep. The fourth day they were back to full health and they checked on Kel regularly. They tended to the small wounds, having only fixed the bones and the concussion before. Alanna tended the wounds where Neal was not comfortable looking and Neal tended the bigger wounds as Alanna became exhausted. On the sixth day when the men (and Alanna) were starting to worry, Kel woke.

* * *

--

I opened my eyes to a fierce sun which nearly blinded me.

I looked at my surroundings. I was in a bed instead of the floor where I usually slept. I was wearing my clothes whereas I usually wake up without them on. My head isn't pounding my clothes are clean my wounds are-- my wounds! My blood! It's gone. my arm isn't broken and neither are my fingers! I can move my wrist, I can breathe without hurting myself, that means, my ribs are together again! I wanted to jump for joy, I wasn't tired anymore. Who had healed me? Why? When? How? The Neal's face swam into my mind and green and purple fire. Green and purple fire? That meant Alanna and Neal,that meant Third Company, that meant Dom-

I got up and changed my clothes (out of habit you know) and went outside.

It was early and deserted except for the sound of a lone person practicing with weapons. My heart leap as I saw a familiar sergeant swinging his sword around in a practiced step.

"Mind if I try that?" I drawled.

He sprang into the air like a rabbit and looked around to find who had spoken. I walked out of the shadows. He looked at me in wonder for a split second before barreling into me.

"KEL!" he shouted loudly in joy.

He picked me up and swung me around before putting me down and hugging me into a bone-crushing death grip.

"Dom, I was just healed."

He blushed and let go as if stung.

"I was kidding." and I leaped forward to hug him again.

"Dom what's all this noise yer making?" a tired Wolset came into the clearing rubbing his eyes.

I let go of Dom and raced to Wolset to hug him too, never was I happier to see these faces. His eyes widened as he realized who it was, when he was through the short shock he hugged me back just as fiercely.

Dom laughed at our sights and then he jogged quickly back to camp.

"Meathead!"

"Don't call me that, and it's too early for your antics."

"C'mon dear Meathead, I have a surprise."

"Why'er you in such a good mood?" Neal grumped out before turning the other way.

"Don't make me call Alanna." threatened Dom smiling.

Neal leapt out of bed and dressed quickly.

"This had better be good." he muttered. Dom led him quickly to the clearing where Kel hugged Wolset.

"Kel!" Neal ran like a madman towards his just-like-a-sister and best friend.

Kel whipped around from Wolset and hugged Neal in turn just as deeply as she had Dom or Wolset.

Apparently the noise had roused the camp and soon Kel had hugged everyone except his log-like sleeper of a former Knight Master and a grumpy and stubborn Alanna who refused to get up, not knowing who she was missing. Alanna finally angered by the racket dressed and left the tent, preparing to shout at the men. She yelled in surprise upon seeing Kel and hugged her deeply. Kel was like a daughter to the Lioness. Alanna skipped away merrily to go and bug Raoul into waking up. Nothing made her happier than waking her childhood friend up.

Raoul upon seeing Kel hugged her almost harder than Dom had, she laughed and let him, it was good to see them again, she never wanted to leave again, even voluntarily.

* * *

--

I know you just woke up today but we must send a runner to the king with your news and of why you disappeared, and of course, the state we found you in." Raoul hated to wipe the smile off Kel's face but he needed to know what had happened and he needed to tell the king that the second female knight had finally been found.

"Start with the beginning please." added Alanna. They were in Raoul's tent, Dom and Neal were present and Wolset was obviously outside the tent listening in, Kel knew he was there but she was happy he was, she would rather he told the soldiers than herself having to repeat it to them one at a time.

"Well, that night at the fort I felt a strange orange light around me, when I woke up, I wasn't anywhere near Steadfast--"

"Magic?"

She nodded to Neal, he pulled a disgusted face, fighting with magic, it was very unfair.

"I woke up tied to a tree. They didn't say who they were-" she saw Raoul's dejected look and aded hastily "Yet, they just tied me to a horse and forced me to run along with it."

Dom's eyes flashed in anger but she decided to ignore him and continue her tale.

"When we stopped for the night they decided to speak to me in anything other than insults. They are an organized group of Scanrans, Gallans, Carthaki and I think some from the Isles."

Alanna and Raoul raised their eyebrows at each other, while Neal and Dom's faces betrayed confusion.

"An organization that sets place in Scanra, they said they worked for the king, either of thieves or of Scanra, that they did not mention. They wanted information on King Jonathan and then they'd ransom me back. I kept my mouth shut obviously. They said they wanted to capture someone who Tortall cared about, someone who meant something, they wanted an example. They said they shot two birds with one arrow because this way they can show not only that Tortallan knights aren't worth a copper but also that women aren't meant to fight."

Alanna clenched her hands into fists, Dom, Neal and Raoul all showed anger sketched into deep lines on their faces.

She told them about Nick and Sebastianna, carefully avoiding the pregnancy charm and her sleeping arrangements.

"We traveled for little over two weeks, I kept my mouth shut and got beaten for it, the last day of the second week they decided to try changing their methods of torture, they took out a whip and started when the alarm for enemies sounded. They heard that there were too many men and decided to flee, they didn't have time to take me with them, they'll come back though, I have a feeling I haven't heard or seen the last of them."

She finished her story and took a deep breath to still her shaking tongue. The occupants of the tent stayed silent for a long time until Raoul finally found his voice and bade me a good night's rest.

--

I heard them start talking but was too tired to care I went to my new tent but could not seem to find sleep. A red-haired head poked into the tent soon after and I sat up to make room for Alanna.

"You skipped over some details."

I looked away from her and studied the tent flap looking _far_ too interested.

"Kel, I healed you, there were some cuts that were not made when you were clothed else there'd be a rip in the fabric. Mithros Kel what happened?"

Involuntary tears leaked down my cheeks as I looked at her in the face. She came to sit beside me and put her arm around my shoulder;

"Kel, please we must know."

The tears kept falling but I stuck my chin out stubbornly;

"Nick gave me a pregnancy charm when no one was looking." Alanna eyes flooded with relief.

My voice trembled as I whispered; "The chief he-he cut it off. Alanna he-he ma-de me! I wo-ould nev-ver!" I hiccuped through my tears.

Alanna shushed me in a motherly fashion and held me closer to her. Her eyes leaked sadness.

"Kel, I know, can you lay down? I need to check."

I nodded and sank towards the floor to lay down, I crossed my fingers in hope.

She sent her purple magic into my stomach and it traveled down into my abdomen. Alanna's eyes grew bigger and she removed her magic. She looked at me sadly.

"Alanna-- no please no!" I broke out in heart racking sobs. She placed a hand on my shoulder to give me comfort. I stood up and ran, ran for all I was worth, ran, into the clearing where I had met Dom this morning. I flung myself under a tree and cried in earnest.

* * *

Alanna walked into the tent in which Raoul and Dom were sitting. Her eyes were sad and the two were uneasy.

"So... found out what Kel was hiding?" Raoul started off awkwardly.

"Nikolaus gave her a pregnancy charm, Ralstone cut it off, she's... she's pregnant."

The two men's eyes grew in shock; "No!" whispered Dom.

"The man forced her for two weeks without a charm, it was bound to happen." Alanna had never heard herself sound so sad.

"Where is she?" Dom asked somewhat forcefully. Alanna let him go this time, only _this_ time, because he was a good friend of Kel's.

"She ran off, I don't know wh-" She threw herself off to the side as Dom ran past her. She scowled but sank onto the floor of the tent, standing was too much then and there. Raoul went to sit beside her, clenching and un-clenching his fists.

"If I ever get a hold of him..."

"Then you'll _call_ _me_ and we will make him pay, but there's nothing we can do now, except be there for _her_."

"What's to become of Kel? The baby?"

"I don't know Raoul, I just don't know."

Raoul looked at the letter he had written for the king, the ink splotch that had marked he page when Alanna had said Kel was pregnant really meant he should throw out the letter but he didn't feel like rewriting it all down again so he just added;

_sorry for the ink stain your **majestie**_**_s_** (Raoul knew he was the only one other than Alanna and Gary who had permission to taunt the king and queen like that)

_but Alanna has just told me Keladry is pregnant,_

_the leader of the 'kidnapping party' claimed her for his official bed warmer for two weeks._

_Nikolaus gave her a charm but Ralstone cut it off, two weeks worth of nights without a charm, I am told, can do that to women._

_We will go back to New Hope and stay there for a little while,_

_I don't believe she should be ordered off to heroics any time soon._

_Do not expect me to attend any formal parties any time soon as well, now, at least, I have an excuse._

_-Raoul-_

_Sir Raoul of Goldenlake and Malories Peak_

--

Alanna read over the ending of the letter and snorted, then felt bad and looked out into the night,

"I hope she's okay.'

"She's _strong_, she'll be _fine_." Raoul sounded like he was trying to reassure himself as much as he was Alanna.

"She's strong, but nobody is that strong."

They both looked out into the night, both wondering what would be made of the Kel and her 'condition', both wondering how strong someone can be before they crack, both wondering what the fate of the Lady Knight and her unborn child would be.

* * *

--

_**Okay, his chapter was a little dark at the beginning and now something new has been uncovered and Kel's pregnancy is too. I feel so bad for her, but it won't be that bad, don't worry, the world will look up eventually. Hope you liked the chapter and don't worry, it does get brighter.**_

_**Thank you for reviewing hope you do so again! (hint hint)**_

**_Keep Reading,_**

**_xxTunstall Chickxxc_**


	7. Dom? Love? Baby? The Goddess? Too much

_**I know this chapter is really short but I just wanted to add this event in before the next chapter. I'm sorry for not updating sooner but I have been caught up in so much homework I barely had time to breathe, next chapter's out soon!**_

**_A Thank you to:_**

**_ Puppy Beka Cooper: I lover your reviews, they're so funny!_**

_**Heather The Writer: Your CC is helping me a lot! Thank you!**_

_**Irish Ninja Chick: Gotcha there! you have to read this chapter to understand what I'm talking about.**_

**_Empress Of Pudding: Oh, he will, Ralstone will face Dom's wrath... but will Dom be the one to killl him? you've got to read to find out..._**

_**run4mustangs: Hmm... You'll see, right now actually!**_

**_Disclaimer: I am not Tamora Pierce, if you thought so, please visit Neal..._**

**_A special thanks to everybody in general who reviewed! Keep it up! (hint hint)_**

* * *

_"She's strong, but nobody is that strong."_

_They both looked out into the night, both wondering what would be made of the Kel and her 'condition', both wondering how strong someone can be before they crack, both wondering what the fate of the Lady Knight and her unborn child would be._

* * *

--

Kel sat under a tree crying in the first time in years, the time with Nick and Alanna could hardly be considered crying. She was crying, it was weakness but right now she did not care, she had a right to cry as would anyone else in her position. She heard a muffled sound of leather boots running and she sighed; here came Alanna. However she felt even worse when she saw it was Dom instead. He stopped under the tree and sat down beside her, he put his arms around her to try and give comfort . She shrugged them off and looked at him;

"Alanna told you." It was a statement not a question.

He nodded sadly and attempted to put his arms around Kel's shoulders again.

"Dom, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to, Dom I didn't have a ch--" He had put his warm calloused hand over her lips to make her stop talking. He remembered the time not so long ago at Steadfast, when he had kissed her in the grass. That time, only two or so weeks ago, felt like so much longer. Kel had been through so much since then that she was now a different person.

Kel hugged him and cried into his tunic. Normally he would protest but he didn't dare, she had all the right to cry and he would let her. He held her tightly and whispered soothingly into her ear at the same time he cursed Ralstone mentally in every language he knew how.

* * *

--

She cried into his tunic and was repulsed with herself but she didn't dare stop. She couldn't. Soon they both drifted off in an uneasy sleep.

A bright silver light flashed in front of them. They opened their eyes and were immediately blinded. It was the dead of night and it was pitch black, a brilliant silver light though, illuminated all.

Kel and Dom looked at the figure that stepped out of the light. The light disappeared leaving the glowing figure behind.

_Hello my child,_

"Who _are_ you?" Kel asked, awed.

_I am The Goddess, Mother of Love._

Kel and Dom stared at her in shock but didn't utter a word.

_You did not deserve this, I am sorry._

Kel was white, the goddess was _apologizing? _

_It is not your time yet, Keladry Of Mindelan, and us, The Greater Gods, have decided that you need not bear this._

Her voice spoke softly, dripping with beauty like honey. Her scent could be picked up as lilies from a mile off and she was the most beautiful and most powerful looking woman both of them had ever seen.

The Goddess swept one beautiful silver hand on top of Kel's abdomen and Kel felt pain. White searing pain, like hot blades in her skin, she screamed in agony but the Goddess took no notice. She finally removed her hand and started to throb in her brilliant silver light again.

_Goddess Bless Lady Knight, may our paths cross again. _

_Keladry, do not ignore the love that surrounds you._

The light grew brighter and the Knight and the Sergeant had to look away, when they looked back again the Goddess was gone. "Do not ignore the love that surrounds you?" Kel was confused; what did it mean? She glanced at Dom and her head felt like it would burst. This was too much...

Dom looked at Kel worriedly and saw that she had fainted, finally reacting since the troublesome visit of the Goddess he picked Kel up and brought her running into Neal's rooms.

--

Neal removed his hands from Kel's stomach looking sickly pale.

"How is the baby?" Alanna looked at her former squire with a worry she barely showed, even to her friends.

Neal looked around from his former Knight Master's face to Raoul's, to Dom's and then to Kel's sleeping one. He took a deep breath;

"There is no baby."

* * *

_**Okay, I know, I know. Evil and short and a major little Drama moment there but I have been swamped with homework and have not been able to upload in a while. I am working on the next chapter and it'll be up soon, I promise.**_

_**Keep Reading,**_

_**xxTunstall Chickxx**_


	8. Guess Who's Back?

_**Thank you to everyone who reviewed! You've been great!**_

**_Lady Knight Jocelyn: Here you are: longer and happier!_**

_**Puppy Beka Cooper: You've been a constant reviewer and I thank you, though i shjall not bow down to you. And HA! It's not a cliffie this time!**_

**_EmpressOfPudding: I'm sorry here's a non-cliffy chap! Please forgive me! (faints with drammatic suspense)_**

_**Irish Ninja Chick: Yes that certainly was a way to abort without actually aborting! And it does get better... you must just read to find out when!**_

**_Disclaimer: I am not Tamora Pierce, if you thought so, please visit Neal..._**

**_Thank you to everybody else who reviewed as well! You rock! Did you know that when I looked up the meaning of Alanna it was 'rock'? Well I didn't look it up, I accidentally found out but.. works either way! Thanks again!_**

* * *

--

_"What do you mean; 'the baby's gone'?" Alanna asked him in disbelief._

_"I wonder what I could've meant? Maybe that.. the baby's gone!" Neal's sarcasm never missed a beat._

_Alanna shoved him roughly out of the way and put her hands over Kel's stomach. She paled and nodded her head in agreement; the baby really was gone._

_Kel now slept peacefully and the three exited the tent to tell Raoul the good yet startling news._

* * *

--

The next three weeks went by peacefully. Kel had remarkably brightened from knowing that the monster's child no longer grew in her body. yet something nagged at her from the back of her mind. She was getting older each day, and everyday she looked at the young pages at the palace when she stayed there. One day, she wanted to have a child of her own who trained to be a knight. One day, she wanted to have children, that day could soon slip away.

Kel didn't know what Dom's intentions were; she didn't know where all of this would lead. For the first time in her life Kel wanted to have a normal life. She wanted a marriage to a man she loved, she wanted children to share her love with.

Kel shook her head to clear the thoughts, she was a knight not a mother! She focused her thoughts on the road head.

Dom watched this from afar. They would soon reach Corus, Kel was done at New Hope, there was nothing left for her to do, she was to be reassigned. But she was different than usual, she was thoughtful and secluded, the Own that had come with her to Corus were restless as well, Kel was unnerving everyone with her silent demeanor.

They soon stopped for the night and Kel gave out the food to everyone; silent as always.

Dom spooned a spoonful of porridge into his mouth while watching her, not his food. He gagged and coughed and threw up whatever it was that was in his mouth. _Worms_, _earth worms_.

The other members of the own that were milling around him stopped too; a joke that wasn't played by them.

Suddenly a laugh rang out from the midst of people who had come to see the commotion. A high laugh, chiming like bells. Dom's disgusted face dropped like stone as he watched Kel laugh. Kel was _laughing_! Kel was _happy_! Kel was back to _being Kel_!

The Own's faces split into grins as they saw their old Kel had come back.

"I'll get you for that one!' Dom yelled and he chased the Lady Knight.

He caught her and looked at her thoughtfully while holding on to her arms.

"Now what should I do for payback?"

He leaned in and kissed her very briefly. She looked at him shocked then spat on the ground.

"Eww! Dom that's gross!'

"Next time you learn not to put worms in your sergeant's food." He pretended to sniff indignantly but couldn't keep the grin off his face: she was **_back!_**

The other men laughed at their behavior; Kel was pranking Dom and Dom was acting the player and kissing her!

Of course the men of the own thought that was Dom being Dom and didn't believe there was anything between the two. Even Neal who was not a man of the Own didn't think much about ti. It couldn't happen; it was his cousin and his best friend after all! How gross would it be if he and Kel were related? Exactly. And that, my friends, is why Neal thought that Kel and Dom could in no way possibly _ever _like each other. Boy was he wrong.

* * *

--

The day after they walked into the busy Corus streets. The noise increased abruptly as they rode through the town.

_"It's the protector of the Small!"_

_"Look Mama! It's her; the lady knight! I wanna be jus' like her mama!_"

_"Long live The Protector!"_

Kel blushed and ducked her head. All the men laughed; Neal and Dom grinned giant grins thinking of their friends and her dreaded nickname. She tended to take to the courts (practice) anybody who called her that, she could hardly do that to an entire city; especially Corus.

They rode into the palace gates to applause and cheering. Kel kept her head low and then noticed that one of the men of the own had raised Lady Knight Keladry of Mindelan's flag. She glared at him and he just grinned impishly back.

They dismounted and led their horses to the stables. She was greeted by an enthusiastic Tobe who had gone back to Corus a little while before with the Lioness who had taken him to see Daine the wild mage.

He hugged her and she bent her knees slightly. She was still taller than him. He hugged her grinning furiously and she hugged him back, same expression stamped on her face. She ruffled his hair affectionately while Dom watched from afar. Kel sighed sadly. Tobe had grown up so quickly, he was becoming a bright young man and he wasn't the little boy she had rescued anymore. He had grown up and she had grown older, that thought made her sad, time moved so quickly.

Dom watched all of this and smiled, Kel would make a good mother. He blushed beet red and looked away, he chased his thoughts away. He wanted to be the father of any child she would bear. He loved her so much. If only he could gather the courage to tell her. He shook his head sadly and walked away, dragging his feet from the heart-breaking moment of the two that looked so much like a mother and her son.

Kel walked around all day followed by whispers of 'The Protector of the Small' she had gotten used to them and tired of them in merely a couple of hours. She also wanted to strangle Neal and Dom and all of Third Company who called her Protector when having day-to-day conversations.

She would meet with the king the next day which meant she had arrived just in time to enjoy the ball. Kel snorted at the word 'enjoy' when the messenger had told her.

* * *

--

Grumbling she picked out one of her few dresses, this one was new, Lalasa had made it for her before going to New Hope but she hadn't had a chance to wear it yet. She did not particularly want to go to this ball but dubbed as 'The Protector of the Small' she was pretty much required.

People had come from all over the country  
just to meet her and not attending wasn't an option.

She grimaced as she looked in the mirror. She looked elegant and beautiful but she also looked powerful and fierce with the sword at her belt. It was perfect. She, herself, was not. There was a scar she would always carry on her face. it divided her face in four, it was the 'X' scar that crossed her face exactly at her nose, the one mad from the whip.

The back of her dress dipped slightly and revealed other whip scars. Her arms bore long white-scar scratches and her legs thank gods were hidden by the gown. She looked like ab scarred warrior, yet she still managed to look pretty. None of her scars made her particularly ugly fortunately. Her 'X' shaped scar was nothing more than an x-shape and didn't really disfigure her face all that much.

Her arms were another story, her scars covered her arms pretty thoroughly but were not very noticeable because of the gown's rich forest-green colour.

Her hair was shoulder length and she wanted to leave it down to hide her back partially but that was out of question as it was 'unacceptable' to where your hair to a ball in anything other than a complicated knot at the top of your head. She did a simple knot instead and grimaced knowing that when she'd bow (because a Lady Knight simply did not curtsy) her scars would be brilliantly reflected to the king and queen. She shrugged it off, she had gotten them by staying silent with Tortallan information. They could not grudge her for her silence.

She walked down the stairs and bowed to the king and queen that didn't even bother to contain grimaces at the state of her back and arms. When she looked at them they flinched. The X wasn't ugly it was actually somewhat pretty but the fact that it had been inflicted by whips made them flinch in anger and sorrow. She had paid prices for her silence, they were in her debt.

Alanna and Raoul had already seen her facial scar and arm and leg scars but she kept her back scars hidden by tunics and shirts at all times. The last time they had seen her back was three weeks previous and they had now forgotten what a mess it looked like. Gareth (the younger) and Lord Wyldon were with them and flinched involuntarily at the sight she made. But they noticed that no matter how battered and scarred she looked there was a fierce energy that radiated around her, she glowed with live hood. She was very much happy and the lost look her eyes had contained three weeks previous was now replaced by that of Kel; The Protector of the Small.

She joined her friends all of whom, with the exception of Dom and Neal were appalled by her scars. She brushed them off with a smile, this was a night for celebration. She Kel, had finally broken her bubble that she had attained with her kidnappers and planned to stay happy for a while at least. Without the pestering questions and concerns and pity for her in the eyes of her friends.

The night wore on and Kel was swept off by people who had come to congratulate her and admire her, she was questioned and besieged for information the whole night and finally managed to escape to the gardens later on when the night had grown old.

Dom approached her from the shadows. They talked and flirted inconspicuously back and forth until it was time for them to go to bed; he walked her to her door and kissed her goodnight. He went off in the other direction before she could utter a word. She decided that they needed to talk about their relationship soon and where each person stood but decided to let it ponder for at least a day, now certainly wasn't the time.

She fell asleep, visions of Dom flitting in and out of her dreams.

**_She was back._**

* * *

--

**_See? Much happier! Hope you liked it!_**

**_Keep Reading,_**

**_xxTunstall Chickxx_**

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	9. Royal Flashback

* * *

_**Thank you to everyone who reviewed, so here I am, sick, o I will update now. My stomach hurts and my head hurts too slightly so don't grudge any sp. mistakes. Any other types of mistakes you are welcomed to comment and I shall change it according to your wishes.**_

_**Disclaimer: I am not Tamora Pierce, if you thought so, please visit Neal...**_

_**Thank you once more for the reviews...**_

-

**_Bows low in a player's bow._**

**_Onwards with the story!_**

* * *

--

_Dom approached her from the shadows. They talked and flirted inconspicuously back and forth until it was time for them to go to bed; he walked her to her door and kissed her goodnight. He went off in the other direction before she could utter a word. She decided that they needed to talk about their relationship soon and where each person stood but decided to let it ponder for at least a day, now certainly wasn't the time._

_She fell asleep, visions of Dom flitting in and out of her dreams._

_**She was back.**_

* * *

--

The king walked his study. He remembered the look of the second Lady Knight's back from the night before... To think she had endured the scars protecting her kingdom, she was truly a knight deigned to all the merit's she'd acquired. They had wanted information about _him_ and she had stayed silent, she had been tortured and she'd remained silent. He knew he was not in her debt, she had done what she was supposed to do, but she had payed for it dearly. The scar on her face was not ugly but it did divide her face in half, show everyone she was not a petty lady but still, she didn't deserve to be so openly disfigured for the res of her life. At least her arm and back and leg scars could be covered, scars to the face were a different deal.

King Jonathan looked back on the day at the council meeting when a runner had run in. There were two people missing in the meeting, his childhood friends: Alanna and Raoul.

_**--Flashback--**_

They were all sitting with the exception of me, who was speaking to them. A runner came in and everyone turned to stare at him. Myles flipped him a coin and took the letter from him.

Sir Myles looked at the name and passed it to me. I broke the seal and saw it was from Raoul, I cleared my throat and read aloud.

_Dear Jonathan, or should I say king? _I rolled my eyes at the paper as Gary snorted.

_I would spend time in idle chatter but I have important news to tell you. _I raised my eyebrows and kept reading.

_We had found a group of Scanrans and had chased them, we all needed the excitement to clear our heads._

_Six days ago we finally caught them and attacked. We lost them because a sentry managed to call out the alarm. They rode off leaving nothing but a bloody whip. _I furrowed my brow, so did the rest of the table's occupants.

_Sir Nealan of Queenscove and his cousin; Domitan of Masbolle, sergeant of Third Company heard a noise and went to investigate. They found a lone bloody figure strapped to a tree, a bloody mess. They called for me and I came at a run upon hearing the discovery of my former squire. _Just as I read that part aloud I chocked, the Lady Knight! This seemed to have caught the other's attention even more, all were worried for her disappearance.

_The ground was soaked in her blood. Alanna stumbled in just then after hearing the call while chasing killer unicorns and coming to aid who ever called the distress call. She and Nealan looked over Kel and concluded that she had a total of seven broken bones and a concussion. Not to mention lots of big and small wounds that covered her body. And older, infected ones too. They healed her bones and scull and fell asleep immediately. After four days Alanna and her former squire were up and about but Keladry gave no notion of waking. Even Alanna that thought she'd be fine was worried. At the sixth day, today, our second Lady Knight woke._

I grimaced,_ seven_ broken bones? A concussion? infected wounds? Who could've done this? The faces of the table now mingled with disgust, horror, and thoughtfulness.

_She told us she was captured with magic, orange one at that, I swear I saw Alanna flinch... Her kidnappers revealed themselves to her as an organized group of Scanrans, Gallans, Carthaki and Copper Isles men who banded together and worked for a king in Scanra, wether of the People or of the thieves she knows not._

I turned to George who looked very much perplexed. Myles wore the same face as he looked out thoughtfully into the distance.

_They believe you are going to invade their countries and wanted to take a hostage that meant something to Tortall, they wanted information and then they would ransom her back. Keladry, being as stubborn as a mule, kept her mouth shut hence her condition when we found her. She reckons we haven't seen the last of them, Alanna and I agree._

_Two of their group helped Kel, they only joined so they could help her escape. Thankfully the man is the mage, therefore that is one weight lifted off our shoulders. He goes by Nikolaus, he has a lover named Sebastianna._

I was enraged to say the least, and appalled. I would never invade those countries! And worse, they had taken and tortured one of the best knights of the realm to get information on me! I felt guilt in the pit of my stomach too, they had tortured her because she had kept shut about me, even though it is her job and duty to do so, she has already seen her fair share of bad things, why add this to the list?

_They fled when they heard the horn call and had no time to take her with them, so now she is with us...** (big ink stain.)**_

_sorry for the ink stain your **majestie**_**_s, -_**I rolled my eyes once more-

_but Alanna has just told me Keladry is pregnant, _My eyes grew wide as I read this.

_the leader of the 'kidnapping party' claimed her for his official bed warmer for two weeks._ My face screwed up into horror and Thayet's did the same followed of course by everyone else's

_Nikolaus gave her a charm but Ralstone cut it off, two weeks worth of nights without a charm, I am told, can do that to women._

_We will go back to New Hope and stay there for a little while,_

_I don't believe she should be ordered off to heroics any time soon._

_Do not expect me to attend any formal parties any time soon as well, now, at least, I have an excuse. _

_-Raoul-_

_Sir Raoul of Goldenlake and Malories Peak_

--

Gary coughed somewhat briefly in humor and the others chuckled half heartedly, we were all too shocked about the news to do aught else.

Keladry of Mindelan was pregnant. The thought couldn't sink in. George's face was twisted in pure disgust and sorrow. Myles mostly sorrow. Thayet looked furious and Wyldon looked shocked with horror and rage. Gary remained silent but I know he felt the same feelings in his gut as I did and as everyone else did.

**_--End of Flashback--_**

-

Keladry of Mindelan walked into my study after being announced and I stood slowly uo from my desk, Thayet was already on her feet.

"Keladry! Oh I'm so sorry!" Kel and the queen were not very close, they were friendly but not friends but the queen put aside this fact and went to hug the young woman who had been through so much that no young woman should have to endure.

Kel stood locked in Thayet's arms and I cleared my dry throat lightly; "Keladry, what do you plan on doing with this baby?"

She looked at me in shock; "Sir Raul didn't tell you?" She then noticed she was impolite and bowed stiffly still slightly in shock.

"Didn't tell me what, precisely?" I asked sharply. She recounted quickly about her meeting with the Goddess and how she no longer had the baby.

Theyt and I remained impassive in wonder.

"Well I am glad for you Keladry, you did not deserve it in the first place though."

I looked at her seriously, speaking softly but firmly.

"I was originally planning on sending you to border patrol, thinking New Hope would have rested you for a while. But after your recent adventure it is up to you. You may decide to go to the border to fight or you may take a month of leave, whichever you chose we shall not begrudge you."

It was the first time I _asked_ a knight if they _wanted_ to go on border patrol, it felt strange. Keladry looked lost fo a moment as she thought this through. She looked at me straight in the eyes and answered slowly;

"I believe that I have rested far more than enough these last few weeks, it is time for me to move on and that will not be happening if I am to remain lost to my own thoughts for much longer. So your majesty, if it's all the same I would rather like to go on border patrol."

She _wanted_ border patrol? I smiled involuntarily, she definitely reminded me of another Lady Knight I have known for many years. The only other person in the whole of Tortall who would_ want_ to go to a deadly border to fight Scanrans to get away from _resting_.

I shook my head and smiled a little wider: "As you wish Lady Knight."

She bowed and left the room, she would leave after two days.

I looked at the closed door which she had just gone through, thinking. I didn't want her to go to the border all alone, maybe send Raoul? No, he had paper work to finish at the palace. Maybe Third company? With Raoul at the palace they'd not do much but travel and look for bandits, the bandit's numbers had been dropping steadily in Tortall for a while now and Third Company hasn't had much to do lately, besides they seemed to all be devoted to Keladry. If half of the pranks between each other that I've heard about are true than they would certainly shed some light on the grimness of the border. I might as well send her friend Nealan of Queenscove with them too, he drives_ me _crazy _and_ Alanna, and since _she's_ with me all the time, Alanna will drive _me_ crazy _about him_ as well. Hard to believe those two were ever Knight Master and Squire.

* * *

--

Little did he know that he'd just put together the most troublesome group that there ever was. But no matter how dark the days might get Third Company and their two favorite knights would always shed some light on the situation. One thing could be said of Third Company, they had spirit, as well as great warriors. Although, they might just drive each other insane before anything happens.

* * *

--

**_So Sir Neal and Lady/Sir Kel and of course Third Company (Dom included wink wink) are about to set off again, pranks, laughter, sadness, death and war ensues. The treaty with Scanra was signed but it doesn't seem to be holding off, what happens when full-out war breaks out again while Kel and our favorite men are there?_**

**_Keep Reading to find out!_**

**_xxTunstall Chickxx_**


	10. New Adventure, New People

_**Thank you to all my wonderful reviewers and sorry I took so long to update. New character comes into the story as well as a sad little tidbit of information. I never liked Neal and Yuki anyways.. Oops, said too much... Review please! CC is always wanted! Hope you like it...**_

**_Feel free to read my other story 'Kel's Situations'_**

**_Disclaimer: I am not Tamora Pierce, if you thought so, please visit Neal..._**

* * *

_Little did he know that he'd just put together the most troublesome group that there ever was. But no matter how dark the days might get Third Company and their two favorite knights would always shed some light on the situation. One thing could be said of Third Company, they had spirit, as well as great warriors. Although, they might just drive each other insane before anything happens._

* * *

And here they were, a week later, already on their journey.

Neal was sitting by the fire gazing at the dark embers wondering how his life could get any worse. He had seen Yuki with one of the Yamani ambassadors, together, as a couple. She had told him that it couldn't happen between them. He knew she was right of course, he wasn't all that happy with her anymore, as if there was something, someone, out there that called him.

He didn't feel whole with Yuki, he hadn't for a while. But he had set all that aside and convinced himself that he loved her. They broke off their marriage and here Neal sat, still watching the embers dieing out, still wondering if there was anyone in the world left that could heal his wounded heart.

This border patrol was an important key to his recovery. He could've stayed at the palace and moped or he could come with his friends and find the usual adventure. The king had left the choice up to him muttering to himself_: twice in one week_.. but they had both known what Neal would say.

* * *

Neal tried very much to keep his mind off it and he was finding it easier all the time. He knew he was supposed to feel a lot worse about it, but really, it felt like a weight lifted off his shoulders. That sounded harsh when said aloud but it was none other than the truth.

He had no chains right now, only his father and his friends, all of whom were knights and his father, a powerful healer. they could all look after themselves. For the first time for years Neal felt happier. He had no one that he could break at home if he died, yes certainly his father would hurt and Kel and his friends but they would recover eventually, he couldn't break them, just hurt them.

But what he felt more important was the fact that he had no one to seriously worry about. Kel of course he would worry endlessly about, she was so recklessly heroic! But he was with her now, he was free --of worry, of hurt if he came home and found his love had been hurt. He could now be Neal, not the worried married man everyone hated. He had proceeded the whole week to rain pranks on everyone. Third Company was more than happy to return them and Dom was a little _too_ happy. So Kel was alone, surrounded by immature men and an irritable horse, and she wouldn't want it otherwise.

* * *

--

Kel stared out into the rapidly setting sun. So much had happened lately, she couldn't even think that but a month ago she was captive of her country's enemies and that now she was on another adventure with her friends. She was still partly in shock from the day she had left.

Yuki and Neal had broken off their marriage, it was of the biggest gossip at court, most were saying that Neal had broken it off because he was in love with Kel, many knew otherwise. So she stared out into the sunset, lost, deep within her thoughts.

That is how Dom found her when he went to look for her.

"Kel?"

She started, caught completely unawares.

"Oh! Dom! It's only you..."

He pulled a face: "Only me?" he asked in mocked outrage.

He dodged a well aimed punch at his arm.

"How you wound me Lady Knight!" He threw his arms out in a dramatic pose

He turned around towards Kel but found her a lot closer than he thought possible.

"Kel--"

He was stopped by a moist pair of lips on his.

She pulled back slightly and grinned; "There, that seems to have silenced you for --"

This time it was her that was cut off by his lips on hers.

"Dom--?"

"Yes?"

"Do that again please." she sounded meek, eager.

He laughed and kissed her softly, gently, passionately.

Suddenly breathing was very scarce. In fact, it was very hard when both their lips were on each others. Dom felt like he was flying once more. He had retained himself from her, because of what had happened. He felt the need to protect her and not to do anything more but now, now things were different.

They fell down in the darkness of the trees. Kel on top of Dom but neither could tell, as far as they were concerned, they were one with each other. There was no Kel, there was no Dom, there was only one person. All else was forgotten as Kel found herself strapped on top of him. When Dom saw she had no intention to move he pulled her mouth down to his.

There they stayed, into each others' arms and watching the stars over head. Soon they both drifted off into a deep, happy sleep.

Neal stumbled into the forest, looking for something, but not knowing what. He was lost, not in the forest, but in himself. He stumbled into a little clearing and saw a lump on the floor. Recognizing his cousin and best friend he bit back a yelp. The yelp was of surprise but he kept it silent and slowly, quietly, faded back into the trees. He smiled to himself, vowing to face Kel about it the next day he returned back to camp and settled himself in his first dreamless sleep since they'd left.

--

The sun rose high and early, waking the sleepy company before it was ready. Tempers brewed in more than one way and the breakfast was burned. Dom's squad was easy to anger and scowled into their cold breakfast of fruit. So then, of course, they were thrilled when Neal said he had something to show them out of the ordinary. They gaped as they walked into the clearing and saw the two sleeping figures. Their looks of astonishment were replaced by evil grins as they thought of a couple of ways to brighten up their morning.

They decided, as they were lacking supplies, to keep the prank evil and simple; water.

Wolset and Neal crept slowly up to them, both holding on to a big, old, filled-to-the-brim bucket of freezing cold water. As one they poured it over the two, the rest of the squad kept their distance and watched excitedly for their friend's reactions. They woke with a start, soaking wet in cold mountain water.

They jumped up and froze. They looked at each other and then at Neal and Wolset and Dom's waiting squad. Their pupils dilated somewhat and then they ran, fast, towards Wolset and Neal. The squad watched, laughing helplessly as Dom and Kel chased the two.

Dom branched off to follow Wolset and Kel went after Neal, both a brilliant crimson, in shame and anger.

* * *

--

"I cannot believe you did that Neal!"

He grinned down at her from his place, perched high on a branch.

"You two looked so cozy, it was like you were asking for it."

"Nealan, it is none of your business what your cousin and I do together." She cringed as that came out wrong.

He laughed at her expression.

"Besides, how did you know where to find us?"

"I walked in on you last night, you were sleeping so peacefully, I didn't want to disturb."

_"Nealan"_ Her voice was low and dangerous, Neal slid slightly higher up in the tree, scared of his best friend.

But a noise stopped them from their bickering. The sound of a boot stepping on a branch and breaking it.

Both swiveled in the direction the noise had come. _Curse it!_ Kel thought. She didn't have her weapon.

As silently as he could, Neal jumped down off the tree. Landing with a muffled "thump."

A lonely figure walked into the clearing. Haggard looking and disheveled.

The person's disgutingly travel-worn clothing was set aside from the brilliant smile that covered its face.

The smile turned into a frown as the approaching figure saw two muscled people in a wary fighting stance, pointing her way.

Her.

The woman stopped walking and looked at them, silently appraising their stances.

"I mean you no harm." A rich, honeyed voice greeted the knights.

She lowered her hood and showed them a beautiful face. Nothing special, but a face that showed trust, compassion, feeling. A face that looked as if it could harm someone as much as a pig might fly.

A face that looked so innocent. A face that had no place in the darkness of the woods.

* * *

_**--**_

_**Okay, evil place for a cliffhanger, I know. But I will have a faster update this time, I promise. Sorry about the Yuki thing, it had to be done. You'll find out why soon enough.**_

_**As much goes for the stranger. She will be explained with all do time.**_

_**Hope you liked it, promise the next chap'll be better...**_

_**Keep Reading (& Reviewing),**_

_**xxTunstall Chickxx  
**_

_**P.S. Sorry the Update took so long...**_


	11. Lady Maia

_**Here you go. Next chapter up. i promise that this is the last of this series of filler chaps that have been going on for three or so entries. Next chapter we'll get some action!**_

**_'Til then, _**

**_ciao amici!_**

**_(Yes, I speak Italian fluently)... _**_-smiles knowingly-_

**_Disclaimer: I am _not_ Tamora Pierce, if you thought so, please visit Neal..._**

_**--**_

* * *

_The woman stopped walking and looked at them, silently appraising their stances._

_"I mean you no harm." A rich, honeyed voice greeted the knights._

_She lowered her hood and showed them a beautiful face. Nothing special, but a face that showed trust, compassion, feeling. A face that looked as if it could harm someone as much as a pig might fly._

_A face that looked so innocent. A face that had no place in the darkness of the woods._

* * *

--

They gaped at the woman. She looked to be about twenty six and so docile they could not imagine what she'd be doing here. Their speculation of the woman who still had her hands raised to show she meant no harm was interrupted by a Dom holding Wolset by the scruff of the neck walking into the clearing. They both held grins, although Dom wasn't quite done torturing his corporal just yet. They both stopped walking when they saw the woman. Dom recovered first and stepped forward. He didn't think the woman looked particularly scary but knew better than to judge someone by their looks.

"I mean no harm." the woman repeated again.

"Neither do we." Dom answered smoothly. "With all do respect your ladyship, what would a lone person be doing in the dead of the woods?"

"I met Spidrens along the way, they ambushed me. I lost my packs which were tied to my horse which bolted. I've been walking ever since."

Kel noticed how she sidestepped the actual question but decided not to mention it just yet.

"My name is Dom, may I ask your's?"

"Of course, now, if I am going to answer, well, that's another story."

Dom raised a skeptical eyebrow.

She chuckled; "My name is Maia."

"You look cold." Neal added, concerned.

"I feel cold." she drawled.

Neal looked taken aback by her forwardness but didn't say anything else.

Dom led her back to camp, the other three brought up the rear.

* * *

Maia's golden locks were tied to the side of her head by short braids. Her eyes were a honey colour and looked as if they could melt anyone's heart. She was well toned and muscled but she hid it well under her clothes. Her clothes were ragged and used but with a change of clothes lent to her by Kel she managed to look stunningly beautiful. Most of Third Company gaped after her, with the exception of Dom of course, who had eyes only for Kel. The squad however, learned fairly quickly not to trifle with her. As she was as deadly as she looked pretty.

--

The company became quickly used to Maia. She turned out to be a formidable companion and was intent on traveling with them all the way to the border. She told many stories, most of them, hilarious. She avoided all questions on who she was, where she came from and why she was in the forest. This made everybody wary of her at first, but traveling together erased their worries. Nobody mistrusted her anymore, save Neal and Kel.

For some reason, the two (Maia and Neal) had decided upon an all-out war on each other. Nobody knew why the hated each other, they themselves had no clue what so ever.

* * *

--

The company woke to a cheerful, sunny morning, and Neal's very court lady-like cry of anguish. He had woken up to a frog in his bedroll. A classic many people -if not all- hated.

It would have been strange for Neal to be pranked by any one other than the Own and his friends but it had been weeks that Maia had been traveling with them and they had gotten used to her and Neal's incessant pranks.

--

The _next_ morning, as sunny as the last was met with a 'squelching' sound and a loud:

"Uhmmm!"

Lady Maia had slipped on her boots in the early morning. It was dark and she was tired from the previous night around the campfire. Without watching what she was doing, she slipped her foot into her boot, which was filled to the brim in mud. The mud squelched everywhere and completely soaked her foot, stocking, and a bit of her breeches. She was nowhere near happy.

"Neal! I am going to kill you!"

Actually, Third Company had decided never to prank Maia or Neal when they were this angry, many of their pranks on each other were horrible to say the least.

And so the day wore on, the company in great happiness with the exception of Neal and Maia who sat, slumped forward on their horses, muttering dark thoughts under their breaths.

* * *

--

Lady Maia was also very respected for her fighting skills. She would not say were she learned them but she was in fact very good.

Stealing a sword from a wounded Qasim during a fight with a herd of killer centaurs she managed to save Dom's life. He was very grateful. Neal just scowled more,. though he said 'thanks' grudgingly because, after all, he loved his cousin.

Kel wasn't completely sure about Maia. She was great company and made wondeful tricks on Meathead but a small part of Kel's mind told her that the fact that AMaia wasn't answering personal questions was strange.

What was this stranger's past and why is she keeping it a secret? Is she to be trusted? Is she really here just because she wants companionship and a journey?

These thoughts ran through Kel's head like whirlwind.

_Who is she and what is she doing here?  
_

* * *

**_--_**

**_Here you go, another chapter. Next one'll have some action, I promise. Just wanted to introduce the character a bit more._**

**_-  
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**_Keep Reading,_**

**_-  
_**

**_xxTunstall Chickxx_**


	12. A Battle In The Forest

**_Okay, here's the next chap! finally, some action! My first battle, please don't flame..._**

**_Sorry I took so long! Promise I won't next time!_**

**_Thank you to:_**

**_Aly-Of-Tortall13: Sorry, Lady Maia's past will be uncovered soon enough..._**

**_Bradhadair fire starter: Wow! You reviewed a lot! Thank you!_**

**_dares to dream: All in good time my friend, all in good time._**

**_Clouds of Sapphire: Here's your chapter twelve!_**

**_Thanks to all my reviewers!_**

**_LadyKnightOpal, DragonEyesBaraboo, Kiley 1 09, Dragonfly257, SabbyRinaBanina, Lady Knight Jocelyn, EmpressOfPudding, PuppyBekaCooper (ha! Love your reviews!) Dreamwings, destinystar105, Irish Ninja Chick, blackwolfgirl87, AliceCullen7 (love Twilight!) run4mustangs, Heather the Writer, rider fleetfoot, little 'ol me, his querida, Eclipsa, Calvin the stupendos man (nice name) littlefreeeagle, animelover0001, Uncertian Destiny_****, (mine too)****_ wAstxd1sYmPhOny, abyssgirl, JK Mafia_  
**

**_If I missed someone, even an annomie, please let me know..._**

* * *

--

_These thoughts ran through Kel's head like whirlwind._

_Who is she and what is she doing here?_

--

* * *

The killer unicorns sprang from nowhere. They were charging towards them, fast. Nowhere to run, nowhere to hide.

Sword in hand the slightly panicked soldiers watched the charging immortals. There was nothing more they could do than close ranks.

Lady Maia slipped quietly into the trees at the back but in the midst of the particular situation nobody noticed her departure, exactly what she had been planning to happen.

The first monstrous beast dived for Kel who brought up the front of their defending line along with Neal and Dom.

She sidestepped and twisted her blade into the Killer unicorn's side. He shrieked in distaste and swiveled around to impale her on his deadly horn when Neal chopped it off with a side swing. Enraged the unicorn kicked out and clipped Neal on the shoulder, not enough to keep him down though. Kel beheaded the beast and grinned momentarily at Neal.

"Nice team work"

He grinned back then his face lost all colour.

He lunged forwards with his sword raised at a deadly angle. Kel dropped to the ground and rolled as Neal's sword collided with a unicorn's muzzle.

Kel stood up again and dove into the fight. Now the whole herd was attacking in earnest. She dived at one who was approaching Wolset from the back. Kel could already see a couple of people down. They were overpowered. With this thought in mind she plunged into the battle. A searing pain in her shoulder alerted her that she should be more careful around their horns. She switched her blade to the opposite hand and attacked her attacker. Limping, Neal made his way to stand behind his cousin, Dom. They guarded each other's backs and attacked from the front.

Dom was weary and glad for the support by the wounded Neal. Not that there was any one who _wasn't_ wounded.

He gave out blow after blow but many were deflected by the deadly gleaming silver horn. He cried out in pain when a set of horse teeth clamped shut on his elbow.

He plunged his bloody blade into the unicorn's neck.

He gritted his teeth from the searing pain.

Neal shot him a worried glance before being distracted by an arrow which whizzed by.

He looked to see who could've shot the arrow and met himself face to face with a centaur.

Centaurs?

They were not going to live through this.

Kel was fighting with the centaur. She was careful to avoid contact with the forelegs thinking back on previous experiences with these proud creatures.

She cut him down quickly and looked around to check if there were any more. She saw none.

A piercing screech sounded from overhead. She dove to the ground avoiding the razor-sharp claws of a giant bird. Like an ogre-sized hawk.

The hawk dove again, this time aimed at Domitan of Masbolle's unsuspecting back.

"No!" Screeched Kel. Not Dom! she screamed inside her head. The bird picked him up painfully by the shoulders. He screamed in pain, his arm was already wounded.

Kel's mind went fuzzy she ran and jumped. She speared the bird's belly and the bird dropped Dom. It swiveled around to face her and screeched again. She fought its claws and beak with all her might. She dug her sword into one of its wings and it dropped like a stone. She beheaded it quickly while it squirmed on the ground.

Suddenly a burning sensation reached her skin. A spidren's web lay covering her. She hacked at it but it steadily dragged her forward towards its waiting mouth.

A yelling Qasim charged through and cut the web surrounding her. He slipped a dagger from his pouch and whipped at the Spidren. It let out a sickening squelch and died.

Immortals banding together?

Kel didn't have time to ponder this. She dove and swerved, parried and chopped. Nothing could hold them off.

She threw her dagger at another one of the dangerous birds and whipped around to meet the blade of an enormous centaur. She killed a Spidren mercilessly and then dove at a unicorn.

A giant roar emanated at the back. Momentarily distracted, the soldiers shot a look at the beast. Kel swore and ran towards the Tauros. He had to die and quickly. Dom joined her. There was no way he'd let her face a Tauros alone. They chopped it down but Kel got a horn to the shoulder. Once more she gritted her teeth and moved on.

* * *

--

The stream of immortals kept up. The soldiers were dead on their feet and looked like they would soon crumble. Their parries didn't come quite as fast resulting in more injuries. The immortals too were tired but they were stronger than the humans. Bodies, both human and immortal, littered the floor. You couldn't move without tripping on something, that also didn't make fighting any easier. The immortals had surrounded the still-living soldiers into a circle. Kel had ordered this, they could fight better now that they had someone at their back.

A winged beast dove at Dom. He dropped to the ground and rolled. He sprang up to his feet but tripped on a fallen Spidren. He fell down and his sword wrenched out of his hand. He looked desperately at his soldiers or Kel. He couldn't fight without a weapon and he couldn't move to retrieve his sword, he had twisted his ankle. A killer unicorn blocked the path from his friends to him. Kel looked at him for the first time. Her face turned to horror. She ran towards him, not noticing the unicorn off to her side.

"KEL! NO!" His own bloodcurdling scream wrenched through the air.

The unicorn lowered his horn and charged, Kel noticed a moment too late. The horn rammed into her side. She screamed in pain and dropped like a stone.

A sticky web flew over her. She cried out in pain as the acid lacing seared into her skin. Dom battled harder than ever against the pain. He stood up, ignoring his ankle completely. He started limping towards Kel but he fell. He couldn't walk on the ankle at all.

A bloodied Centaur came menacingly towards him, coupled by a Hurrok. Talons and fangs covered in Dom's comrades' blood.

They stepped towards him. They were directly above him now.

Dom tried to scramble away but found his way was blocked by another immortal. The centaur sneered and raised his sword above his head.

He roared a battle cry and swung down...

* * *

_**--**_

_**A little Kel/Dom in there, battle love or whatever you call it. I think people may now know about them.. or not.. maybe, I'll decide that later! Muhahaha! Okay I know, very, very evil. But trust me, the next chapter'll be up soon! Sorry, I was working on my Twilight fic, New Life. For all my reviewers which are also Twilight fans, don't forget to check it out!**_

_**-  
**_

_**Keep Reading,**_

_**-  
**_

_**xxTunstall Chickxx**_


	13. When A Heart Breaks In Two

_**Sorry for taking so long to update! Here is a sad chapter... sorry!**_

_**Thank you to all my wonderful reviewers!**_

_**Disclaimer: I am not Tamora Pierce, if you thought so, please visit Neal...**_

_**Onwards with the story!**_

* * *

__

--

Dom tried to scramble away but found his way was blocked by another immortal. The centaur sneered and raised his sword above his head.

He roared a battle cry and swung down...

--

* * *

**_--Dom's POV--_**

The centaur's blade swooped down. I clamped his eyes shut, I knew I was as good as dead. But the blow never came.

A howl from the distance resounded and all the battle sounds ceased at once.

I squinted his eyes open again and saw the blade was a scant inch from my face. The centaur, however, was looking in the opposite direction. The immortals remaining looked towards the west and ran, scrambled, limped away, as fast as their legs could carry them.

The clearing was now empty except for bodies and wounded soldiers.

I grimaced in pain when I tried to move my ankle.

A stumbling man, wounded as all the others, stood up.

I knew this was no immortal, but I couldn't make out the face.

I grunted to get the man's attention.

The man looked his way and then made his way over. He was a young man, barely fifteen but he didn't seem too badly injured. He went over to me and I immediately recognized him as William McGrant, one of my latest recruits.

The man bent over me and I grimaced at him.

"Just a badly, very badly, twisted ankle."

McGrant looked relieved. He left for a moment and came back with a wooden staff. I tore at my shirt and McGrant bandaged my ankle tightly. He helped me to my feet and I leaned on the staff with a slight grunt of pain. Other than that, I was fine.

William and I bent over Gregory, another of the newer recruits. He was most obviously dead. McGrant looked away, a sad look in his eyes. I placed a hand on his shoulder and nodded my head mournfully.

"I know." was all I said. It seemed to be enough.

McGrant started checking the other bodies. I made sure he was alright and then went over to check some bodies of my own. There was an eerie fog about my ankles. I couldn't quite place it.

A muffled scream came from behind me and I turned around quickly, as quickly as I could with an injured ankle.

"McGrant? William?"

Silence.

I made my way over to where I had last seen William and almost gagged in outrage and disgust. There, stood a Spidren happily feasting on McGrant's body. I was too late.

I snarled in fury, picked up a sword and ran the Spidren through. Its dieing shriek reverberating through the still air. A Silence descended once more. I was getting unnerved.

I went to where I had fallen during the battle I scourged the ground until I found my own sword. I sighed with relief once I held it in my hand. Everything felt much better with the feel of its hard pommel into my calloused palm.

A bubble of blue magic came in front of me. I recognized it immediately.

"Sergeant Domitan. We were expecting a report this morning. Why? May I ask, have you not reported?" The king's voice resonated through the silence. I saw Lord Raoul right beside the king, looking as unnerved as the king was at the moment. Then the king and Lord Raoul looked beyond me, as much as the little window of magic allowed.

"Dom!? What happened?" Raoul asked, eyes wide open.

I now saw the faces of the queen and the prince in the background staring at me as well. Their faces tight with foreboding anticipation.

"We were attacked sire, by immortals."

"Which ones? How many survivors?" The king asked sharply.

"It was a variety. There were different immortals fighting us. They've never banded together this much. I don't know what to make of it."

"Which one's did you see?" The king was looking more and more worried.

"It started out with Killer Unicorns -"

Worry etched itself on the king's, queen's and the prince's face. Raoul visibly flinched.

"Then centaurs, and some sort of ogre-sized bird. I've never seen the likes of it before."

"Three different immortals banding together? That is not good." The king muttered.

"If you'll beg my pardon your majesty, I have not finished my list."

The king looked taken aback for a moment. "There are more?"

"Spidrens joined into the fray and then a lone Tauros. Hurroks and some other winged beasts I could not identify."

"This is quite distressing. How many survivors from your troop of fifty two?" The king asked, trying to mask his worry, and failing.

I gulped; "So far, me."

The four's eyes widened.

Roald whispered: "Kel?"

I shook his head sadly, his heart wrenching at the thought.

"I don't know, last time I saw her she was cornered and disarmed." I gulped down the bile that was rising in the back of my throat.

"We must meet with the counselors. We will communicate with you in one hour precise. In the mean time, find as many survivors as you can. Later, we wish for a detailed recount of the battle."

"Yes sire.' I nodded grimly. I knew I had to, but right now I had no wish to speak with them, I wanted to find Neal, my beloved meat-headed cousin. I wished to find Wolset and Lerant and Qasim, my comrades and I wished to find Kel. My Kel. If we got out of this alive I'd tell her how I truly felt. For real.

I started searching the bodies once the communication closed. I found many dead soldiers. I watched helplessly as my men either were dead or died in front of me. They had been my charges, I had failed them.

I was getting desperate. I was cold and alone on a field of the dead. Between severed corpses and bloodied enemies. I reached a lumpy figure and like all the others, turned it gently to see their face of the dead man. The being grunted and I knew they were alive, what I didn't know, was for how long.

I took a deep breath when I saw who it was.

"Wolset? Wolset can you hear me?" My voice echoed in the dead silence that enveloped me still.

"Dom? That you?"

I sighed in relief.

"Yes. Now, where are you hurt?"

"Everywhere."

I grinned at him as the corners of his own mouth twisted upwards as well.

"Nothing serious sergeant, just a couple of little wounds here and there. I can walk properly, which is more than can be said for you."

Then I did something I didn't think I could do in the middle of dead bodies, I laughed. One of my closest friends was safe. Now though, it was time to look for the others.

I helped Wolset up, this time, we stuck together to look for survivors. Our faces grew morose as we stared at the endless expanse of bodies. We found one of the oldest fighters under my command, Alexander Ferranz, who had a big cut to the leg but was otherwise unscathed. Well, compared to the rest.

I was really starting to despair, and I was tiring, fast. I sat down on a body. Normally, I wouldn't have. But one could hardly see the ground and the man wasn't moving, he was dead.

"Domitan of Masbolle, I demand you get off me at once!" The overly-dramatized voice was barely a whisper. Enough to make me jump up and lean towards my cousin.

"Neal? Meathead?"

The figure in the dirt scowled slightly.

"Neal, are you alright?"

"Leg wound, deep. Arm wound, deeper. Shoulder wound, deep. Thigh wound, deepest."

I grimaced.

"Can you stand up?"

"I can try."

I helped Neal up and supported almost all of his weight onto my already wounded self.

I helped him over to Wolset who took one look at the healer and I and took Neal off of me. He led Neal somewhere else while I continued my search.

Then I saw it. Under a Hurrok was a mass of brown hair. Not a lot. But enough for me to know that it was no man. Besides, I could tell that hair anywhere. I called for Ferrnaz. He helped me remove the Hurrok and then I leapt to my beloved Lady Knight's side.

Her pulse was faded. She had cuts and wounds everywhere. The rise and fall of her chest matched her shallow and ragged breath. Her arm was twisted in the wrong direction and she was shivering even though it was pretty warm out now. I touched a hand to her temple and felt it burning. She had a raging fever. She had a very deep arm wound and another less deep wound on her other arm. Her legs were cut and she sported a head wound. I gently took her in my arms and brought her over to where Neal was curled up. He looked at Kel as I laid her down and his eyes told me what I knew already.

Wolset and Ferranz found Lerant of Eldorne, alive. And another member of the squad, who might make it, if, and only if, his leg was amputated.

Another man had lost and eye to a Hurrok and another came out with some wounds but who was pretty much alright.

The search wasn't yet over when the magic communication spell opened again.

This time the Lioness had joined the waiting party.

"Well?" She asked impatiently. But not unkindly.

The king looked at her and then turned back to me.

"Who are your survivors and what do they sport as markings of battle?"

"I found Corporal Wolset first, he sports very little injuries sire."

Raoul sighed in relief.

"Next I found one of my foot soldiers, Alexander Ferraz, who has a big cut on his leg but who will survive. I then found Sir Nealan of Queenscove."

The Lioness took a deep breath, it seemed she cared more for her ex-squire than I thought. Prince Roald, Neal's old friend took a deep breath as well.

"He sports many injuries but if everything goes alright, he should be ale to live."

"'Should be able to'? What exactly are his wounds?" The Lioness asked.

"Leg wound, deep. Arm wound, deeper. Shoulder wound, deep. Thigh wound, deepest." I said, re-telling word-per-word what my cousin had told me.

The group visibly flinched and Roald paled. The Lioness nodded grimly.

I continued: "One man might be able to live but we must amputate his leg and another lost an eye to a Hurrok. Another came out with some wounds but will be alright."

The king nodded.

"And then I found Lady Knight Keladry of Mindelan sire."

At this the whole room stilled. Queen Thayet's head snapped towards mine from where she was staring out of the window sorrowfully. Princess Shinkokami was like a statue staring at my face.

My heart started pumping twice as fast as I said the next words: "We don't know if she'll make it."

"No." Murmured Prince Roald. Lord Raoul dropped his head onto his hands. The Lioness squeezed her eyes shut and clenched her hands into fists. Princess Shinkokami betrayed no emotion but was too stiff to look carefree. The king remained silent and nodded very slowly.

"A group will be sent towards yours. They will be joining you within the next three weeks. That is the fastest hey can make it. Take care of your wounded and keep looking for survivors. Luck be with you, sergeant Domitan."

With that, the communication came to a close. I barely acknowledged it, my world had come to a close. I was going to lose her and I had never told her.

The search continued and we found more men, we ended up with about fifteen men. Out of the original fifty-two.

Night descended and Kel was steadily getting worse. Our search for survivors was finished we still ended up with fifteen. We had found another one but one man died before evening.

Kel was starting to hallucinaqte.

My last talk with the king for the day ended with:

"She won't make it."

She had barely a couple of days.

My heart broke in two.

* * *

_**--**_

_**Sorry, but you need some sad chapters every once in a while. In two chapters at least it shoyuld be uop and happy again. Big surprise on the way next chapter.**_

_**-  
**_

_**Keep Reading,**_

_**-  
**_

_**xxTunstall Chickxx**_


	14. In The Arms Of Forever

**_Alright. I am faulty of promising a quick update. I am sorry I didn't do what I promised. Here is the new chapter. I PROMISE that this time it'll come out quicker. I sort of already know what is going to happen in the next chapter. See, this is a challenge I made for myself. I made myself not write a plot line. This is creative writing on the go! Of course, that makes it harder to write, believe it or not. Not knowing how it will end up, just knowing that it has to keep moving on, not easy! So sorry, rambling, here you are!_**

**_Thank you to all my wonderful reviewer! You all rock!_**

**_Disclaimer: I am not Tamora Pierce._**

**_I am tall but she is Fierce. (That rhymed... I am not Tamora Pierce, if you thought so.. please visit Neal...)__ P.S. Borrowed chapter name from a Twilight fic that I am currently reading sorry! _**

* * *

__

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Kel was starting to hallucinate.

My last talk with the king for the day ended with:

"She won't make it."

She had barely a couple of days.

My heart broke in two.

--

* * *

She was brave. She was strong. She was worth fighting and dieing for. She was the first official Lady Knight. My Lady Knight. She was so many things. _Was._

My heart broke in two. That was two days ago. Now?

My heart was ripped out, torn into a million pieces.

Shredded, burned, gone. Never coming back. Just like my Lady Knight.

I was overcome with grief but tried not to show it. There were few of my squad left and there was my cousin, who although was mentally healthy (as much as Nealan of Queenscove could be...) but who still couldn't be up and about. I had those people to look after. I was in charge of them, of their lives that now resided in my ability of keeping together after losing Kel. One of my closest friends, the person I had once kissed in the grass, the person I had always wished that could be more.

I dreaded the oncoming report. Given through the magic blue bubble. I dreaded it, but I knew my duty to my king.

And I swallowed down acid as the bubbled popped in front of me.

"Sergeant Domitan." The king's courteous voice filled the still morning air.

I bowed stiffly, a sign of loyalty to my king.

"How is Keladry?" He asked worriedly.

I took a deep, calming breath;

"She passed into the dark realms at the breaking of dawn, sire."

"Bless her passing." the king's voice was sorrow-filled as he spoke the words that custom dictated him to say.

I could only nod my head for fear that if I spoke I might fall apart before my king. Truth tell, I had been on the verge of breaking down all morning. I would not fall apart in front of my soldiers and my cousin who was mentally healthy (Well, as much as Nealan of Queenscove could be...) but that was still confined to bed for his injuries. I was in charge of these men, their fates where left in my hands and I would not fail them. I **_would_ **not cry in front of them. I_ **could**_ not cry in front of the king.

His face grew morose and then he exhaled a breath. "Very well."

He asked few more questions and then we came to a conclusion in the report.

"Thank you sergeant Domitan, your support group is only a two-day ride away, they will be there soon."

"Thank you your majesty."

"--And Domitan?" He hesitated.

"Yes sire?"

"I am sorry." He said slowly.

The connection closed as the magic was removed from the telecommunication spell.

I stared off into the distance through where the king's head had once been and whispered; "Me too, me too."

I walked off, I could not cry in front of the king, but now, the king was no longer here. I looked into the icy water from the little lake that surrounded us. I looked into its depths, staring but not really seeing. My frozen teardrops fell into the black and blue water, mingling until tears and ice could no longer be told apart.

* * *

--

The king looked around at the table where his most trusted advisers sat. None were missing with the exception of Lord Raoul of Goldenlake and Malorie's Peak. Lord Raoul was currently with the relief group that was headed towards sergeant Domitan's stranded squad of men.

"I am sorry for bringing you all here so early in the morning. I understand you have other things to do and families to tend. But I have come here to announce a grave message that will take Tortall into grief."

The king could see Alanna, the only female in the room, shoot him an annoyed glance as if to say 'get on with it already'.

He looked at each man (or woman) into the eyes before stating calmly.

"I am here to announce the passing of one of Tortall's finest warriors. The passing of Lady Knight Keladry of Mindelan."

The table broke out in chatter and Alanna, the only remaining Lady Knight of the realm was seen freeze. Clenching and un-clenching her fists upon the smoothly polished meeting table.

The king himself sighed before taking a seat and starting to talk to his champion who seemed not to hear him. She was staring so far away, at what, he had no clue.

* * *

--

_Keladry, Keladry._

I knew that voice.

I felt as if I was being shaken awake.

I opened my sleepy eyes and looked into the eyes of a man. Early eighties, old for a man from Tortall.

He looked old but surprisingly strong. He shone like a god. I could tell that he was one.

_Keladry _the god/old man called out to me.

Who are you? I mind-asked the man.

He smiled slightly, _I am the Chamber, do you not remember me?_

That's where I had heard the voice! It belonged to the god of the Chamber of Ordeals!

What are you doing here? I asked, fearful of another crazy and impossible adventure I might be forced to go on.

_You are dead._ This was a statement not a question.

I stared at him confusedly and he sighed.

_It is not your time. _I nodded my understanding.

_I have looked after you enough, I had to pull a favor with the Goddess to get her to get rid of the monster's baby._

Well, that was harsh, the way he put it, but that didn't make me any less thankful.

_Now, I have pulled one with my brother, peace keeper to the Realm of the Dead. You will be sent back..._

My heart lept. I would go back?

Am I going to see Dom again then?

The god let out a throaty laugh. but started to fade...

No wait! I called after him.

_See to it that I need not get you out of anymore tight spots Keladry dear..._

Wait! I cried again but this time it was to thin air. Gods can be so cryptic! Another godly laugh surrounded me, chilling me to the bone.

Suddenly something changed and I felt like I was going under a wave of icy water...

* * *

**--Kel POV--**

-

I opened my eyes to see myself lying sorely on a cot.

I blinked my eyes slowly.. blinking sleep and soreness away from them.

I saw the familiar back of my best friend as he was laying down on a make-shift cot like mine. I had no clue where I was, or why I was there.

"Neal?"

He jumped into the air from his cot and fell onto the ground, pulling his covers along with him. He fell in a heap of blankets and two pillows.

I quirked one eyebrow at him.

He swarmed through them and limped to me.

"Neal! Are you okay? You're limping." Neal let out a maniac laugh. it scared me. It was bitter and cold.

"Me!? You're asking if **_I'M _**okay? You _died_ Kel! You don't exist! This is probably just a dream!"

He laughed chillingly again.

I stood up with a wince from the slight echoing pain and grabbed his shoulders and shook the slightly.

"Neal! Snap out of it! Where am I? What happened to you? Where is every--" I trailed off as images of the battle started clouding over my mind. I gasped as I replayed the falling immortals. I saw the twisted faces of men and the sickening wounds that had been inflicted upon them. I watched my fellow comrades fall, images of the past. I stumbled a bit and Neal steadied me, he seemed to have gone back to (slightly) normal.

"Kel? Are you okay? Wait, what am I asking? You're_ not_ okay. You _died_, Kel. _You died_. And now you're back, how do you explain _that_?"

His once worried voice dripped with venomous sarcasm and his grip felt icy.

"The god of the Chamber of Ordeals, he gambled a deal with the god of the Realms of the Dead. I came back, he said it wasn't my time yet..." I trailed off as I remembered the old man.

Neal's grip relaxed and warmed slightly. Suddenly I was pulled into a bone-crushing hug.

"Don't you ever scare me like that again, _ever_!" He pulled me closer and held me even tighter. I was slightly suffocating but he was my best friend and I was as glad to see him as he was to see me.

We stood like that for a while. Neal cried freely onto my shoulder as his hands held my back ever-so-tightly.

"I thought I had lost you. I thought you were gone for good. I'm so glad you're back." He whispered into my ears.

I held my Yamani mask for fear of crying and hugged him back with all of my strength. Finally, we slowly separated. We grinned at each other.

"Why Neal you softy, you're warming up in your old age."

He put on a face of mock-offend and stuck his nose in the air, looking haughty, placing a player's hand to his heart.

He whistled in a high pitch. I covered my ears; "What was that for?" He just grinned in response.

A man burst through the flap of the tent. He stumbled in and looked up, slightly out of breath.

"Neal I--" He broke off and stared at me.

I looked into the piercing blue eyes.

Time slowed as we stared at each other. His eyes widened and kept staring at me.

"I'm scared." He stated. Neal quirked an eyebrow at him.

Dom came closer, never removing his eyes from me as he ignored his cousin. He stayed completely still, a hairs breath away from me. He looked into my eyes and whispered in a very hushed voice, almost impossible to hear.

"I'm scared, that if I look away, you won't be here any more. Please tell me this isn't a dream, I don't think I could deal with it if it was." He looked deep within me, looking at something only he could see.

"Dom..." I trailed off, "it's me. It's not a dream. This is as real as reality gets." I whispered just as quietly as he had.

We stayed, motionless, still staring into each other's capturing eyes.

I reached my hands out to his face. I was tired of hiding, tired of pretending. I had almost died, I had been so close to never seeing his handsome face again. I had made a mistake, I had almost risked dying without telling him the truth. I wasn't about to make that mistake again.

He flinched away from my hands as he saw them come towards him, thinking they would pass right through them.

They didn't though, they came to stop on his lips. I touched his closed lips with one finger, icy from the cold but a finger that was solid enough.

He looked down at my finger, my hand, my arm, me. He cupped my face in his hands quickly, I hadn't expected it, and kissed me in a way that had my knees lose feeling.

I soared, I flew over mountains, hundreds of feet above mother nature. Forever in the sapphire skies that were his eyes. Forever in the air, never touching the ground.

This is what happiness feels like. In the arms of Dom. In the arms of forever.

* * *

_**--**_

_**Sorry Bradhadair fire starter, I did kill her, but then I brought her back!**_

_**Clouds of Sapphire, she didn't die because a Hurrok fell on her, she just happened to have sported MANY injuries and then a Hurrok was killed on top of her, technically though, she didn't die there, she died after in the healer's make-shift tent.**_

_**LadyKnightOpal, yes she has been beaten up quite a bit, good thing she has Dom and Neal to soften the blows!**_

_**Kiley 1 09, hopefully this time you'll cry of happiness.**_

_**Lady Knight Jocelyn, well thank you for starters. I am guilty for promising a quick update and then not doing so, so here it is. The next chapter! Which you have probably now already read. As to why the immortals are banding together... I never said the war was between Scanra... oops, I've said too much.**_

_**--  
**_

_**And that goes for every one else. Yes, she is the main character, I'm not going to kill her just yet. Muhahahaha...**_

_**Hope you liked it!**_

_**I decided that since I had had a bunch of depressing chapters so far, you might like one that didn't end with a cliffhanger or a sad ending. So here you are... If you don't like fluff, you're going to have to wait a while. But in the end, you know you do, you honestly do.  
**_

_**-  
**_

_**Keep Reading,**_

_**-  
**_

_**xxTunstall Chickxx**_


	15. Do You Want Me To Kiss It Better?

_**Some different POVs in this chapter. Sorry it took so long to update! Here it is!!**_

_**Thank you to all my wonderful reviewers! You guys rock!!**_

_**Disclaimer: I am not Tamora Pierce, if you thought so, please visit Neal...**_

* * *

--

_He looked down at my finger, my hand, my arm, me. He cupped my face in his hands quickly, I hadn't expected it, and kissed me in a way that had my knees lose feeling._

_I soared, I flew over mountains, hundreds of feet above mother nature. Forever in the sapphire skies that were his eyes. Forever in the air, never touching the ground._

_This is what happiness feels like. In the arms of Dom. In the arms of forever._

--

* * *

_**--Neal's POV--**_

_**-**_

She was alive. She was alive.

I watched her and my cousin exchange a look. Exchange a kiss.

My cousin and my best friend. I would have it no other way. Even if it did not last I knew they'd find comfort within each other for a time at least.

I was so happy. Though I admit, it was getting kind of awkward. I slowly left the tent, leaving them to their own...kisses.

I did the only thing I could do.

"Kel's alive!" I yelled, as I ran down to where the other soldiers were eating breakfast. They all looked at me shocked, I grinned and told them what happened. Everything would be all right.

* * *

_**--Wolset's POV--**_

_**-**_

We ate our lunch silently. Like usual.

A screaming Neal brought our attention back to earth as we were lost in our own thoughts. I caught the words; Kel, alive, Dom, kiss, happy.

No clue what he meant but he looked happy and he mentioned Kel, so, I believe for once I ought to listen to Meathead.

--

Shock.

Happiness.

More Shock.

Yes, that was everybody's reaction. Shock, she was back from the dead. Happiness, she was alive. More shock, she was kissing our Sergeant.

"Hey Kel! Can we have our sergeant back?" I asked, they were so lost in their little world they hadn't seen us.

They looked at us and flushed bright red. Kel dropped her arms from Dom's neck and stared at me. I shook my head and smiled. I went up to her and hugged her. So did the rest of the squad.

She smiled happily.

"Where's the rest of the squad?" She asked, looking about noticing so few of us in the big makeshift infirmary.

Silence followed her question.

Her eyes widened. "Oh gods --how many?" she asked.

Silence.

"I asked, how many?" She said sharply.

"Thirty-one." I said quietly.

"Oh gods." She whispered again. She sat down heavily on the cot and looked at us, horrified.

I was sad, yes, but we had been moping for days, it was time to move on, moping didn't help.

I put a smile on my face; "They couldn't have died better, they died fighting, that is what they wanted. Besides, now, there're only thirty dead." I grinned.

She smiled wryly; "Thirty indeed."

A horn call for 'incoming help' sounded in the distance.

* * *

**_--Raoul's POV--_**

_**-**_

We sounded the call for 'incoming help' and heard the answering call from not too far away. We galloped hard in that direction, hoping to get there quickly. Not half an hour later we rode into a small camp. What was left of some of Third Company. The remnants of the company were waiting for us. We rode towards them and then I pulled my horse to a complete stop mid-gallop.

The relief force that was with me stopped as well. There, in front of the waiting group was Kel. Kel,

I slid off my horse and walked forward slowly.

"No..." I whispered as she stood before me.

"Yes." She said with a small smile.

I hugged her tightly. Silent tears dripped from my eyes. She was my daughter. Not genetically but in every other sense. She was back and I was happier than I had been for a long time. I wiped my eyes gruffly and she laughed softly.

"You old softy.." She said, still laughing.

I grinned at her and hugged her again, so glad she was alive.

I demanded that she tell me what happened and she did. I smiled, she was back.

I looked around sadly taking in the odd thirty soldiers that were missing. Only about twenty remained, I had lost many friends, that was a sad fact indeed.

* * *

_**--Jonathan's POV--**_

_**-**_

I looked about the room of advisers once more they all were chatting with each other, the old gossips. All except for one, the Lady Knight and my Champion. She has been quiet for the last two weeks, since I announced the death of the second Lady Knight. I was foreboding having to tell her my news, she would rip me to shreds.

I cleared my throat and the table fell into silence, all waiting for me to speak.

I explained what happened, they all looked at each other, faces blank. I chanced a look at Alanna, I cringed inwardly.

She was clutching to table so hard that her knuckles were white.

She looked murder at me.

"She's not dead." She stated.

"Yes, you heard me correctly."

She stood up slowly, I could feel the heat coming off her. Being my ex-squire I still could remember that temper she had as a young man -woman. She hasn't changed all that much from childhood.

"You told me she was dead and she wasn't?" She asked, outraged.

"At the time, she was. A god brought her back." I said.

"my champion, if you would sit down now." I said a little more forcefully. I was the king and she, my subject. I would not stand for subordination in front of my advisers. Though, most were old friends.

"'Lass, sit down. Had he know afore he would have told ye." George told her.

She sat down grudgingly, I gave George a gratified look and he winked. He knew Alanna's temper just as much as me. Yet, he had to deal with it more than I did. Lucky him.

And so the news was broken to Tortall who rejoiced during the night.

A shout was heard later on in the evening as I enjoyed a pleasant meal with my queen in the mess hall with Lord Wyldon.

"Long live The Protector Of The Small!" I smiled to myself. That green knight sure had a reputation here and around Tortall. A well deserved one at that, my subconscious added, I silently agreed.

* * *

_**--Kel's POV--**_

_**-**_

We were setting up camp, talking, laughing, joking. Everything was slowly going back to normal, I had my Knight Master to thank for that.

We discussed losses at one point. I grimaced, we had lost many, but we had been extremely lucky to have lost so few.

Some will never be able to do a proper job again, indemnification at work could put someone out of commission for life.

Other than that sad report we talked about the strange banding of immortals. The king and his advisers had come to a conclusion but Raoul was under strict commands not to let anything slip until they reached Corus.

They spent the night in the same field as before resolving to leave in the morning for our two week trip to Corus.

I was going to bed when I was stopped in front of my tent by a hand on my forearm. My reflexes kicked in and I turned around, wrenching my arm from the stranger's grip, I punched them in the gut.

The man stumbled back; "Ow, Kel."

"Dom! Sorry." I said apologetically.

"You know better than to grab me like that in the dark." I scolded him.

He stood up straight and chuckled; "Sorry mother" he said dryly.

I cocked my head at him and he laughed lightly.

He put a fake pout i\on his face; "My gut hurts." He said with big, round, melting blue eyes.

"Do you want me to kiss it better?" I don't know where that came from honestly, it was not something the Keladry of Mindelan I knew would say.

He nodded, pout still on his face.

I grinned and he pulled me inside my own tent.

He pulled me down onto the ground of my tent right beside him.

He lifted his shirt and I understood what he wanted, I grinned right back at him.

I lent down and kissed his gut.

"That feels weird." I said after giving it some thought.

"Really? I like it..." Dom trailed off suggestively. My Yamani mask is the only thing that stopped the brilliant red that was going to creep over my cheek. And, like usual around Dom, my mask faltered and I went crimson.

He laughed his low rumble-type laugh and I wiggled my eyebrows at him.

"What? Grossed out by my gut, Lady Knight?" He asked, "that hurts me." I rolled my eyes. what a player!

I leaned down and saw his belly button. I smiled to myself. I pressed my lips to it softly. I bit down softly.

He pushed himself up onto his elbows and stared at me.

I pulled myself off his bellybutton and looked within his eyes. I grinned and took his shirt off completely.

He laughed and pulled me up on top of him.

"Dom--"

"I know Kel, I'm just having fun. We're not doing anything unless you want me too."

I smiled, yes, Dom definitely understood me better than anyone else has ever. With the possible exception with Meathead and best friend. Who happen to be the same person.

He shook his head slightly.

I raised an eyebrow, a trick I had learned from the afore-mentioned best friend.

"It seems to me you are better dressed than me, I'm getting cold."

I raised my other eyebrow and then laughed, startling both of us.

He pulled my tunic off and then my shirt (I was still wearing my breast band). We stared at each other, just losing ourselves in each other's eyes.

We kissed on the lips slowly, passionately.

The tent flap flapped (sorry) open, revealing a sweaty-looking Neal.

"Kel--" He stopped short seeing our 'position'.

He blushed a furious red and looked away.

I put my mask on and quickly grabbed my shirt and tunic, stuffing them on my head.

Dom put his shirt back on and Neal turned a very red face towards us, he relaxed some seeing us dressed properly.

"Didn't you just--you know-- get together-- today?" He mumbled.

"Relax Meathead, we weren't doing --that sort of thing." Dom said.

I almost burst out laughing, it wasn't many times that you saw Neal uncomfortable and Dom looking meek, especially not at the same time..

"What did you want Neal?" I asked impatiently.

He turned his only slightly flushed face towards me, looking dead serious.

"A stranger came into camp."

Dom and I were alert now.

"Yet, she's no stranger to us."

"Neal, spit it out." I said, now, thoroughly annoyed.

"It's Lady Maia, she's back."

* * *

_**--**_

_**People said they wanted different reactions and here they were. Some Kel/Dom fluff, after all, this is a Kel/Dom fluff story somewhat, that's how the plan started out originally anyways...**_

_**And at the end...a marvelous cliffie!**_

_**Review and I'll update soon! (Not true, I'll update as soon as I've got a chapter but I'd still appreciate some reviews!!)**_

_**Hope you liked it!**_

_**Read and Review!!**_

_**-  
**_

_**Keep Writing,**_

_**-**_

_**xxTunstall Chickxx**_

6/06/08


	16. Return Of A Stranger & A Big, Dark Storm

_**Russia WON!! Go RUSSIAN SOCCER TEAM!!**_

_**Sorry for ahhng taken so long, I will definitely take less time next time, and write a much longer chapter...**_

**_Thank you to my awesome reviewers!_**

_**Disclaimer: I am not Tamora Pierce, if you thought so, please visit Neal...**_

* * *

_--_

_"A stranger came into camp."_

_Dom and I were alert now._

_"Yet, she's no stranger to us."_

_"Neal, spit it out." I said, now, thoroughly annoyed._

_"It's Lady Maia, she's back."_

_--_

* * *

Kel ran back to the dying campfire. The embers fading into carbon non-existence. There stood a withered Maia, dripping from the rain that fell in buckets onto her lithe figure.

She seemed slightly different, like she was just waking up from a long lost dream...

"Lady Maia!" Was all that came to her mouth while gaping at the figure that had disappeared that fateful night.

Lady Maia blinked owlishly back; "Do I know you?"

Kel was taken aback, "It's Keladry. Of Mindelan?" Maia just stared confusedly back.

"We met a few weeks ago?" Kel tried to make Maia remember.

"I've been wandering the forest for months, my name is Maiana, I haven't talked to civilized humans in over a year. I've never seen you before and I don't know how you know my name, but I beg you, please, believe me. Help me, give me shelter. I'm so hungry. So thirsty. Please, I will not do you any harm, I am withered and I am tired, I haven't seen my fief since it burned. Please..."

Her voice trailed off, pleadingly, as if it were one of a ghost.

Maiana? Fief? Lost in the forest for over a year? Kel had her griffin feathers tucked into her pocket, Maiana wasn't lying, she couldn't because of the feathers.  
So, who was this stranger? Or was she really a stranger? Where had the original Lady Maia gone? Was _she_ an impostor, or was this woman? Kel bit her lip, unsure.

She talked it over with Lord Raoul and Dom and Neal in a private tent. They agreed to give her shelter, what else could they do? They couldn't just leave her out in the storm could they?

So this new member joined the company, she traveled with them, fed with them, slept in the same kind of tent. She kept to herself and so did everyone else. They needed a mage, quickly. No-one would approach her, she would approach no-one, that was how the next week went by.

They were attacked again by a mixture of immortals, this was a lot smaller than before, they too were banded and strong. They defeated the immortals with few casualties, they needed to get to Corus, fast.

They were stranded in the middle of the forest and a storm was coming. A big, dark storm.

* * *

_**--**_

_**Sorry that was so short. I just needed to get out of my writer's block, so, here I am...**_

_**Hope you liked it!  
**_

_**Review!**_

_**-**_

_**Keep Reading,**_

_**xxTunstall Chickxx**_

_**21/06/08**_


	17. Death

_**I know, I know, I haven't updated in over 2 months! I'm sorry! But I've been inspired again, I'll update quicker, I swear!**_

_**This hasn't been beta-ed yet, when she has time I'll ask my wonderful beta, Tamora Pierce Junior, to fix this up. **_

_**Sorry, sorry, SORRY!!**_

**_Thank you to my awesome reviewers!_**

_**Disclaimer: I am not Tamora Pierce, if you thought so, please visit Neal...**_

* * *

_--_

_They were attacked again by a mixture of immortals, this was a lot smaller than before, they too were banded and strong. They defeated the immortals with few casualties, they needed to get to Corus, fast._

_They were stranded in the middle of the forest and a storm was coming. A big, dark storm._

_--_

* * *

-

_**I know this is short but bear with me, the next scene was too long to incorporate with this one...**_

-

__Weeks passed, long weeks, but the somber moods started to evaporate. The company realized that their fallen companions wouldn't have wanted them to be sad, they took to jokes once more and the air seemed to become a little happier. Whilst at first everyone had been wary of the real/fake Lady Maia they had slackened a bit around her.

Traveling weeks with someone could either result with you hating them, or you loving them. With Lady Maia, it was the latter.

Besides, she cooked wonderfully.

They were steadily getting closer, they all dreamed of beds, warm food, warm water for baths. Many desired their lady-loves. Dom just wanted his lady love when they had a decent bed to share. they hadn't gotten to _that_ stage in their relationship but they did sleep in the same tent. It made the cold nights so much warmer.

The immortals' attacks had become more and more seld0om, most figured they had died down some, Kel knew other wise, something bad was going to happen, or was already happening.

Little did she know...

-

They traveled for days on end. Corus was coming closer and closer until one day. It loomed up ahead.

The company let out whoops and cheers, they were there finally. After so many days of travel. The laughter and jokes died down right away though. Something was wrong, very, very, very wrong.

Kel looked to her right, she could see Lord Raoul, looking ashen-faced as he stared ahead. Not believing what he was seeing.

Lady Maia's cheerful grin had fallen, she didn't understand, she couldn't, her eyes were not close enough for her to understand, but she knew something was wrong, such could easily be told by looking at everybody's face.

Dom drew his horse closer to Kel's subconsciously. Who knew what was going through his mind. He raised his arm and made a sign, Third Company rustled taking out their weapons.

Kel looked to hr left, Wolset's eyes were wide, with fear, what would be waiting for them?

The rest of the company was wary, some were stricken with disbelief. Some of them were horrified, those who had family or friends in Corus, as far as Kel could guess.

What had happened?

Raoul found his voice and bellowed a call, they kicked their horses into a gallop, even Maia, she kept pace with them easily, she was not the most court lady-like court lady, if that makes any sense.

Kel just stared ahead, she couldn't feel anything, her arms were numb. She didn't hear anything.

Third Company and Lady Maia stopped but she kept going straight.

Raoul called after her, she didn't stop. Dom cursed, and reared his horse, he chased after her, it was Raoul's turn to curse. He ordered his men after the two, who knew what was waiting for them.

He needn't have worried though.

It was a desert, there was no soul, alive.

Kel jumped off her horse, she left Hoshi there, trusting hr horse not to go anywhere. She wandered by herself, really slowly, as if time had stopped, everything was so... dead. With trembling hands she opened the door of the closest civilian home. There was a mother, crouching protectively over an infant. Neither of them alive. The young woman had given up her life protecting her child. Not that it had mattered.

For the first time in her life Kel really felt like crying, she blinked it back.

She felt a strong arm put around her shoulders, the arm dragged her out of the collapsing house. She looked into Dom's eyes, he hugged her, she didn't hug him back. She didn't move. Everything was so wrong.

She felt so sick.

Black-grey smoke curled up from what was left of the buildings, most had collapsed, wooden beams that had held them up once were ashen black from the fire that had licked them.

There were no cries, no men, no women, no children. No animals. Nothing.

It really was a desert.

Everything was still, Kel slowed her horse and she went through every single street, the market looked like it had been caught by surprise. Rotting corpses, flies. Nothing else was left.

They hadn't been expecting whatever had happened, they hadn't been able to fight.

Kel turned and mounted her horse and rode back to the Company, there was nothing she could do.

There was nothing there. There was no Corus.

* * *

**_--_**

**_I haven't updated in moths and this is what I leave you with..._**

_**Hope you liked it!  
**_

_**Review!**_

_**-**_

_**Keep Reading,**_

_**xxTunstall Chickxx**_

_**7/09/08**_


	18. War

**Gasp-- I updated within the month! I think... Well, even more of a surprise, it's going to end soon.  
LE GASP, LE GASP! **

**Sorry, was home all day and have been on the computer since this morning at 9:30... I know, I kmow, don't harass me.**

**Thank you to my amazing beta: Tamora Pierce Junior. She has a great story going of her own about Fianola and another two girls who start knight training after Kel, it's very nicely written, check it out. And thank you TPJ, you are so much more amazing than I could ever say...**

**_Read the P.S. At the bottom!_  
**

**Warning: Light fluff**

* * *

--

In the smoking ruins that were once Tortall's finest city stood the heart torn warriors.

They stood in the marketplace were merchants once sold their fine merchandise, its origins from all over the globe. The middle square where the gypsy Carthaki dancers, with all their exotic clothing and the beat of rattles of the bangles on their ankles. Where mother bustled children along, old men, the storytellers, sat on crates, weaving their stories for all ages, both for young and old, their crowd listening, enraptured by the words, as old and magical, reaching back, towards the beginning of time.

The fruit sellers, with fruits of honey-hue, fruits from the wild forests of Galla and the Bazhirs' own.

The weapons stall, weapons great and small, from small town protection, to enchanted swords for demon-slaying. From black to silvery-steam to gleaming blue. Rippled to perfection.

The same marketplace that was lit by fire at night, the marketplace of Corus, the city that never sleeps.

The city with huger, hollow-eyed children, thieves, brawls, raucous men and women with eyes as red as the blood wine they drink.

And Kel could see all that in her mind, but she didn't see it before her, the charred remains reminding her of the truth, the cold, hard, truth.

Reminding her that cheer and laughter was for happier times whilst now, now they were at war.

Kel wasn't scared for the war in Scanra, not as she was now.

But Scanra was different, very different, there, they had actually had a chance, a good one.

But now, now...

You can't fight what you can't see.

-

The castle still stood, upon the mighty cliff, it looked intact from here, it was our chance, besides, we couldn't stay out here in the open, whatever had happened to Corus, well, we couldn't exclude whatever it was from coming back again... We needed cover, and quickly.

We rode at breakneck speed to what had been my home for years. We breathed a unanimous sigh of relief when we saw the guards, actually, more of them than usual, atop the various towers and the gate. From the outside it looked the same as always.

The guards stared as they raised the gate for us to pass, it was slightly unnerving, we lifted out heads and paced our horses in.

Alanna and Raoul rode at the front, Dom, Neal and I behind them, and finally a weary third company rode silently behind us. The silence was soon punctured by loud noises, startling the horses. Hundreds of people talking, animals, chickens squawking, children crying. It was utter chaos.

It looked as though most of Corus was here.

And it was.

-

As far as they knew so far, Corus had been attacked by a flurry of mythical creatures, most which had never before been seen. There had been so many, an amount so vast that could not be explained in sums. So many, too many.

And they were under somebody's command.

Screaming in fright, and some in pain, the inhabitants of the once mighty city had fled towards the castle protected by guards and archers.

We had rushed to the king whilst Third Company put away our things, the king looked much older, unkempt and very, very, tired.

Upon seeing us, his eyes brightened, as if we were new hope, and in this case, I do believe we were. The Lioness, the Giantkiller, two of the Realm's best healers were back seeing as Neal was here as well. There was hope again.

We were home, but I figured we really wouldn't be for long...

-

The palace was a mess, the grounds even worse, animals and humans compacted together, sharing space, palace inhabitants had to share rooms, the pages had maybe even three per room.

I said I didn't mind sleeping int the Owns' barracks and giving my room to others for a while, it wasn't like we'd be here very long anyways.

The weary men grinned as I set up my corner on the floor of the vast room of beds. All of the beds were taken but I didn't mind the floor, though the soft beds did look mighty inviting.

I shook my head and piled the covers around my sleeping area.

"We can't have our dear Protector on the floor, now can we?" The men were all worried, whatever was out there, whatever vast amount of bloodthirsty killer-unicorns and wrens and giants and who knows what else, was out there, but somehow, they always managed to laugh. It was a gift, a gift I longed to have.

The voice was none other than Dom's whom was also coming in for the night. His smile did reach his eyes, though they didn't sparkle as usual. I tried to grin back but it came out as more of a grimace.

He sighed and sat down beside me on my 'bed'.

"Aren't you worried?" I whispered, not wanting to disturb the others, I couldn't help but remember the streets of Corus and that blood that had littered it.

"Of course I am Kel, but there are things we can't stop from happening. There was nothing we could've done, and if there had been, it's too late. I've been in the Own for a long time, and if there's one thing I've learned, it's to let some things go, 'else you drive yourself insane for no reason."

"But if I hadn't been stupid and gotten hurt--"

"Kel, you died. _Died_. Yes, you came back whilst others didn't, but you are one of the best knights out there." He cut across me as I was about to protest.

"Kel, don't even. Look, you may not have confidence in yourself, but we do, Tortall needs you, and you need to sleep and stop worrying yourself sick. We'll beat them, we always do, and if we can't, we'll go down fighting. It's what we do, we are soldiers, we are men, and women, that fight, that are supposed to. You have a duty to this kingdom like everyone else in this barracks, do you see them making themselves sick, and tired, with worry?

"This is our time Kel, we weren't there for the Immortals' war, but we fought the one in Scanra, and we will fight this on, and we will win. Understand?"

I had never seen Dom so worked up, but his words did ease my heart a bit and I grinned softly,

"Do you say these things to your men before they ride into battle? You've got quite a speech there."

He grinned and took a half bow from his sitting position, I shook my head, no matter what happens, somethings never change. And in many ways, I am glad.

"Now, back to this. You need to be well rested and ready for your coming battles, you wont be sleeping in a bed for a long time after this, take advantage. I will not have you sleep on the floor."

I grimaced but I knew this argument I _would_ win, "Dom, there is no more space here, and I will not throw some poor man, who has worked as hard as me, from his own bed! You're right, we won't be sleeping in beds for a long time after this, have they not got the same right to a comfortable bed? Who am I to take it from them?"

Dom looked thoughtful, I looked around, leaving him to ponder his thoughts, the barracks were full now, most men were already asleep, some played a game of cards, not quite tired enough to sleep yet, though it was late.

I turned back to Dom to see he had a mischievous smile upon his face, I backed away slightly; "Dom? What are you thinking?" I was filled with a kind of dread, I did not like that smile.

He looked at me, I wasn't sure what I saw on his face anymore.

He grabbed my packs and stood up.

"Dom!"

He ignored me and put the packs under his bed, he was on the bottom of the bunk-bed. He had long since decided to sleep with his men.

"Dom--" I had come beside him now, he shushed me with his lips, I gasped slightly against them, we were in a barracks full of people for Mithros' sake!

For once, all the exhaustion and sadness and pain welled inside me, I let go into the kiss. He smiled against my lips.

We broke off, he held my face close to his, our breathing was labored.

I glanced around with my eyes, not that there was need to. A loud cheer resounded in the barracks, Wolset held his hand out and people crowded around him I rolled my eyes, of course Third Company had bet on us, did that really surprise me? No.

We ignored them and Dom flipped me onto the bed, he settled himself beside me and and we just stared into each others' eyes. Though I had been cold before, I was perfectly warm now.

His arm around my waist.

"Dom--" He shushed me,

"Sleep." He said.

He closed his eyes, I sighed, his arms had made an iron cage about me anyways, it's not as if I could just leave.

I saw Wolset smile, I closed my eyes and fell asleep with a smile upon my face as well.

-

I woke up still caged in Dom's arms, we had fallen asleep fully clothed from the day before. He looked so peaceful when he slept, no shadow of fear, no shadow of uncertainty. There was just a sense of bliss about him, his chest rising and falling with the deep breaths of air he took.

He looked so... innocent. The thought made me snort and had Dom crack an eye open. He opened the other as well and grinned at me, no, smiled. There was an unyielding blissfulness in his smile, like he cared for me, which I was sure, for once in my life, that he did. For more than friendship.

I had dreamt the kiss, feeling safe no matter what, as long as I was encased by those brawny arms of beauty.

I was in love, this was happiness, and I would be happy for the rest of my life so long as I could wake to him each and every morn'.

But it couldn't last, he leaned in and placed a long, relenting kiss onto my lips, separating we stared at each other and then both stood from the bed on opposite sides. Suddenly a sense of foreboding wrapped around me, regretting haven gotten up because it now meant facing the day to come.

I felt his arms enveloping me in a hug and then he leaned into my ear;

"It'll be alright, we were made for this."

I smiled and then took my bags out, finding new clothing for the new day. Once freshened up, I went to the mess hall, Dom behind me, surprising some of the men who were early-risers for they knew for a fact that Dom wasn't.

In the mess hall, Raoul ate his breakfast with his wife and the king, Alanna was nowhere in sight but I wasn't surprised.

Raoul smiled at us and looked away, he knew, of course he knew, he always knew. Or maybe that was Buri, Buri told him everything.

We were called into a meeting right away after eating and it was pretty uninteresting, they just went over what we knew already, and then decided on a course of action.

The country was now at war, they had to take the precautions, and set up their proper defense.

Some knights were sent to different fiefs across the realm to prepare them, Neal and I were not among those. We were to stay here, though that wouldn't last long, they still had to decide what to do with Corus, in the meantime, the knights that stayed behind were to help rebuild it.

Most of Third Company would ride out, joined with First and Second company. Aiden's squad, Fulcher's squad, and Dom's squad would be working in Corus, they needed it back up right way, the Palace could not go on like this.

It was pandemonium, the nobles would not stay still and were worried for their losses (of money) and the villagers longed for their homes.

I was so happy later on that I jumped into Dom' arms and kissed him, he looked taken aback.

I wasn't sure what we were yet, I needed to sort it out with him. For now I was just happy, for a moment at least.

There would be a time for goodbyes, but it was not today.

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**Yes, after all that, there is always time for fluff :)**

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**On the spot writing people! Hell yes!  
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**Alright, as you know, this is creative writing and has no plot, therefore it takes longer to get from me to you. I write it on the go, but I know around what will happen next chapter and the one after that, and the one after still. Aroundish, a rough idea.**

**This story is drawing to an end soon, it has been going since last March, something I find quite surprising, it seems like so long ago, yet it is only a little over 7 months. But there is an ending in sight. Not more than 5 chapters or so. I have had so many reviews, I hardly believed it, more than 10 per chapter. And I am proud of you all. Thank you. I don't know what I could do without you.**

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**24/10/08**

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	19. Full Charge

**Here you go! ANOTHER UPDATE!**

**Thank you to my BETA! Tamora Pierce Junior, of course. I do think you have pretty name...nice ring to it. Eloise...Eloise...Eloise...very lovely.**

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_It was pandemonium, the nobles would not stay still and were worried for their losses (of money) and the villagers longed for their homes._

_I was so happy later on that I jumped into Dom' arms and kissed him, he looked taken aback._

_I wasn't sure what we were yet, I needed to sort it out with him. For now I was just happy, for a moment at least._

_There would be a time for goodbyes, but it was not today._

_--  
_

* * *

Many rejoiced in the break from the really hard work, Corus was well on its way to being finished, but many more still were not quite so gay. Only fools noticed naught the steady stream of knights arriving each day to the crowded palace. There was a reason they were returning, being called in. And I think I know exactly why. Dom and I sat grimly as we watched two more knights walk into the mess, their heads were high, their chests puffed out. 'Conservative' written upon every feature in sight, from the expensive -and quite frivolous- clothing they wore, to the way they treated every single being whom got in their way.

But when recruitment levels started to rise, and standards started to drop, well, that was when we started to really worry, becoming more alert and alarmed with each passing day. Most of Corus' inhabitants had gone back to their newly rebuilt homes. Many were elated and happier than they had been before; their houses or shops in better shape than they had started. Corus had never looked so clean. And now, because of all the protection, less thieves were getting lucky. Though, after The Great Fire, as the bards sang it, there wasn't much left to be stolen. Many would die from lack of income.

When we were summoned to the mess hall later that evening, I cannot say that many of us were surprised.

"Knights of Tortall," The king's voice echoed in the stillness of the hall, all eyes on him, as always. He stood erect on the elevated dais as he spoke to his loyal knights. "Years ago -or months in some cases- you swore an oath. An oath to me, to your realm. To fight, to defend, to protect. It is time to call upon those oaths, as a dark shadow hath befallen our glorious kingdom. A shadow of greed and death and blood. There is a danger to our families, to our children back home. Roving bands of immortals have been gathering, they group to strike. They share a unified alliance to a powerful sorceress whom await our fall. But we shall not fall!"

The room roared as one, their cries of anger and bravery. They died as the king raised is arms for silence.

"This is our time knights of Tortall. This is our time to fight. To prevail! We ride in five day's time. We ride to war." Another roar arouse from the crowd, a roar of approval, of faith in their loyal sovereign. I stayed silent, stoned into numbness. I had felt it coming, knew, but so little time? So little time for so many to ride to their deaths?

"To war?" A whisper came from my left, I looked slightly down to Owen of Jesslaw. He was but a year my junior, but he was still so young. He was barely even a knight. Though I had no doubt he was a good hand at sword and fighting in general, but I did not believe him ready for war. And to see his usually gay spirits so dampened, so down in the dumps, made my heart a tad darker.

"To war." I confirmed back in a whisper. Because that is what we all were. Whispers, quiet grains of sand that fell. And we were but waves upon shores, but dust that fell, highlighted briefly by the shining moon. We were swift shadows in time, and but names in ink. And too soon we would be off this world. So why speed our departure?

The following afternoon saw me packing my few possessions. After all, what could I possibly need beside few clothes and my weapons to travel to war? My thoughts were interrupted by a sharp series of knocks upon my door. I recognized it as a knock from a messenger, I clapped my hands together to rid them of dirt and debris, afore going to open my door.

It was a young man, my junior of many years. He was dressed as a Royal Messenger, blue Conté silk, crisp white tunic, immaculate breeches and polished boots. Only the best.

"You are being summoned to the Conference Room sir --milady" He seemed appalled at his mistake, he bowed deeply; "many apologies." His face was red from embarrassment.

"No worries lad, will you be escorting me then?"

"Yes, milady." I nodded and strapped my sword belt, and sword, to my waist. I followed the boy but my thoughts were elsewhere. The Royal Conference Room? Whyever would I be summoned there? Mayhap the king wanted to tell me something else...?

Baffled I wandered through the otherwise empty corridors. Inside the room, dozens of torches lit the wooden chairs that surrounded the sturdy oak Conference Table. The king stood upon my arrival, there were people to both his right and left, faces sombre. I recognized all, Alanna the Lioness, her husband; Baron George Cooper, Gareth the Younger of Naxen, Raoul, Dom, Aidan, Commander Buri, Lord Wyldon, and Raoul's second-in-command; Flyndan. Queen Thayet stood beside her husband worry crossing her every feature, not diminishing or tarnishing in any way her undeniable beauty.

"Keladry." I bowed deeply to both sovereigns, the king waved a hand towards one of the chairs. One of the many empty ones.

I sat across from Flyndan and turned my gaze to the king who remained standing.

"I would say 'welcome' but I would rather none of us have to be in here on such a dark day. Though we cannot change what has happened, we may influence the outcome--"

"Enough with the theatrics Jon, you're making it more morbid than it already is. And there are far better things to listen to than your speeches." The king gave a cold look to his Champion which she ignored without the bat of an eye.

"We want to take them in one go," She spoke to the room at large now; "we know where they are." Were we storming them or siegeing? "--From the North, South, East and West. Raoul, with Third Company, will come down from the North." Flyndan nodded his understanding while Raoul sat in thought.

The queen continued from where Alanna had left off; "--Alanna will come from the West with First Company." Alanna nodded. "Buri will take the Riders, and what we have of Fourth, from the East," Buri's nod was curt, thoughtful. "That leaves Keladry's troops, Second, to come up from the South."

I blinked; "Pardon me?" My troops? They were assigning Second to me? To me of all people? I stilled my shock for a moment, though I felt it tearing at its restraints; "Command? _Full_ command?"

"Of Second, yes, I shall be riding with you Lady Knight, if that be of your approval." I looked at Lord Wyldon now, my former Training Master, knowing he wasn't really asking. Was he going to be there to test my strength as a commander? As my rightfulness to be a knight? Because I had believed that I had proven that once and for all some years ago. I bowed my head slightly; "I look forwards to your experience."

"Likewise," He responded, I smiled; pleased, surprised. When no one else was looking, I shared a confused look with Dom.

Dom. He would be riding down with Sir Raoul from the North, I would be riding up from the South. When would we see each other again? Once more I was drawn from my muddled thoughts by somebody speaking.

"--we must catch them unawares, for the longest time possible they must not know we are coming. And when we do strike, we must strike swiftly. The trickiest part is not leaving them a window for escape. Boxing them in is our best chance. But if they fly, or move to attack in mass, they can, and will, pick us off one by one. It is important for Keladry and Wyldon to reach Raoul as swiftly as possible. Guard one anothers' backs. When the immortals try to flee off to the side, they shall be cut down by Alanna and Buri."

He gestured to the map he had laid out upon the table, the fief was dead centre and little markers declared Tortallan forces among the enemy ones.

"--it's a risky plan, as we all know, but it is vital. If not executed properly...' He left the sentence to trail off, letting our imaginations show us the vivid picture of exactly what would happen. I couldn't help but remember the smoldering remains of Corus.

"They breed like rabbits but are much, much more deadly," his eyes shone in anger. "We need this to work, if it doesn't, there is no price..." He trailed off again but this time as if he was remembering a painful memory of his own. He looked at Alanna, anticipating a confrontation.

"It is the only way." The Lioness conceded unhappily, reluctantly, after having tried every other possible option, and finding there were none.

"Spread the word among the Own and tell the Riders--" Raoul started, I now understood why he had brought the two sergeants.

"There will be no need for them to tell the Riders, I will be doing that myself, right now. If I may take my leave your majesty?" Jonathan of Conté waved her question away with a frown; "You know you don't need to ask Buri."

His smile reached naught his eyes, this was his second war in charge as king, the second time he sent his closest friends to where he himself could naught go. It was hard for a king, for a human being.

"Keladry?" I snapped my head towards him

"Yes, your majesty?"

"You understand your work? Your position? You shall be coming up from the hills, from the side of Persopolis. I trust you have no queries? The rest of your information shall be given to you by Lord Wyldon."

"I have not one query your majesty," I answered, never could I have known that the etiquette classes would have been if such use.

"Then you may take your leave also." I knew a dismissal when I heard one. I bowed deeply to the king and queen and then to the room at large, there was no one in there I hadn't admired since childhood. I felt the finality of it settle on my shoulders as the dull thud of the heavy oak doors of the conference room shutting made their way to my ears.

My chambers seemed smaller than usual, more restricting. I sat upon my cot and exhaled a heavy sigh, pushing my short hair out of the way of my eyes in a frustrated manner. Me, a commander? On a small scale basis, sure, but with the top three of all the realm? Above Lord Wyldon even? I saw his scarred face, bald head, tight unforgiving lips. Surely the former training master was better suited for the job? I was put in charge of these men, their lives in my hands. Yet this was my responsibility now, and Mithros knew I would so it to the best of my capabilities.

Dom. How was it that my mind always drifted back to the handsome blue-eyed sergeant? Every time we got close, some force, or war, or battle, depending would force us away. When would I see him again? Would I-- I stopped that thought right in its tracks, now was not the time to think of those things. But when would I finally decide how I felt of him? When would I _know_? This was all so confusing, all so strange, all so wrong. Why now? Why a war now? Soon I would ride to the bloodiest battle in the history of this realm. We were outnumbered three to one, mayhap four to one and against lesser-immortals no less. When would it end? How would it end? Would I even be there to see it end?

The weight of the lives that had been assigned to me seemed endless and bone-crushing.

What if I made a mistake, what if by my fault they died? I growled frustrated to myself, I couldn't afford my lack of confidence to make me falter, I made my thoughts blank.

I sighed as I closed my eyes, a nap would do me a world of good. Asides, I doubted I would get another from now until after the battle was over, and, depending on what our situation was, it could take months.

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**Filler chap I know but there are some important parts in there, besides, there will be an epic battle coming up, what do you wish from me?**

**Hope you liked it, **

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**6/12/08  
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	20. About Time They Learned

**CHAPTER 20!!**

**God, I had meant to finish this chapter and put it up ages ago. Well, only two or three (depending on the battle) chapters left and then maybe an epilogue. And then it will be over!**

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_The weight of the lives that had been assigned to me seemed endless and bone-crushing._

_I sighed as I closed my eyes, a nap would do me a world of good. Asides, I doubted I would get another from now until after the battle was over, and, depending on what our situation was, it could take months._

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_

The words haunted my nightmares, and every living moment of my over-packed days.

They echoed as I ate, pounded as I trained. There was no escaping th reality of it, and that is what chilled me to the bone; the pure simplicity of it.

_What if I never see him again?_

I took care not to show my worry --the men would surely take it as fear for what was to come. And in a way it was, but not in the way they meant it. A commander _could not _show fear to his, or her, men, or they'd risk losing all credibility, and of course, any fight.

Never was I more glad to have Lord Wyldon by my side than in these days of preparation for the battle looming ever close. He was as stiff as ever, but his silent shadow, that would catch any mistake I might make, was a relief. A welcomed one and one of the few these days. He was good leader and he was respected, more than could be said about me.

Second company respected me some, and hated me some too. Though nobody dared to openly side with me for fear of their comrades, and the way their reaction may be taken. It was a hard job, and for the most part, I let lord Wyldon handle it.

Dom's face found its way into my mind no matter how hard I tried not to think about him, my doubt growing steadily.

Battle stared us off some ways ahead, it showed on the faces of the men. Grim mouths, less laughter, clouded eyes. Finally, the day to ride was upon us. The battle was a quest for bloodshed, who knew how many lives would be lost? How many lives would leave us?

"Kel?" Whispered Neal, mounted beside me. I lifted my arm, it felt like lead as I dropped my hand and as one the horses moved towards their doom.

--

When they speak of riding to battle, they never speak of the mud you practically live in.

"I hate this!" I had lost track of how many times Jack, a sergeant to my right, had said that in the past two days, it was getting annoying, and my frustration, from the lack of Dom, from the lack of response from my men, from this weight upon my shoulders, was starting to take a visual role on me.

"Sergeant Benson, please refrain from complaints, you would think you had never ridden in mud, and it gets tiresome. Very tiresome." Neal's voice had an unfamiliar edge to it, probably created from his own frustration, though the irony and sarcasm was always there, I would only be worried if it hadn't been.

"Besides, I don't think your commander cares for your complaints." He added loftily, I shot him a glare, though internally I was grateful.

They never speak of the sweat and the fear that engulf you, they never speak of the tension, the pain, wind and rain that ride with you. They speak of the glory of the victorious yells of battle as you fell your opponents. But the more years and battles that have passed me by, the more I see that glory is as sweet as it is bitter, that there is no honour in running through a man who believes he does the right thing.

The ride was long and hard, unrelenting, the soldiers were startled rabbits, jumping at every slight sound. This was no way to ride into battle, this was a way to ride to a ready-made grave and it was dangerous, very dangerous.

The horses were skittish, Neal's thoughts far away upon his wife, lord Wyldon rode ahead, commanding the soldiers and I had my thoughts once more on Dom. It was silly, like a young maiden who could think naught but of her lover. If I could call Dom that. But I am not a silly maiden, I am commander in charge of a company and it would do me good to get my childish head out of the clouds.

Neal was still fretting over Yuki, I stayed silent by his side, I had my own pair of blue eyes to worry about.

"Keladry, may I have a word?" Wyldon inquired, eyes tight, face in a slight scowl. The men had made it quite clear by now it was Wyldon they wanted to lead them to battle.

"Milord?" I questioned politely, I was glad he was here, above all else.

"Keladry, these are your men, correct?" I was taken aback for a moment, and for a brief split-second, I had the urge to say 'no, Third Company are my men' but I kept this to myself as I looked into the eyes of the man before me. Third company wasn't here now, was it?

"That is correct," I nodded, partly confused.

"Then why are you not leading them?" His tone was a forced pleasant but a slight trace of disapproval coloured it.

"Sir?" I asked, taken aback once more, forgetting his proper title.

"You were assigned to lead them Keladry, have you forgotten?"

"Yes milord, but they follow you more than they follow me." I regretted the words as soon as they left my mouth.

"I am surprised Keladry, you are not the type to back down before a challenge."

"Sir, men who are not loyal to me will certainly not follow my orders in battle," I pointed out, though he no doubt knew that himself. "No disrespect intended of course."

"You cannot force them to be loyal, but you can force them to listen, and to obey. It is their job, as leading them is yours. I trust you with it."

"Sir?" I clamped my jaw shut, not willing for it to drop.

"All Gods above Mindelan, do I have to spell it out? I suggested you to the king, I even old him to bring Nealan along, Mithros forgive. I do not want to look like a fool because you cannot get your head out of the clouds and your feet on the ground. Do your duty by them. Whatever is bothering you, you must get it out of your head and do your duty. Understood, Mi--Keladry?" I felt like a page again, being scolded for poor conduct, I felt like ducking my head and mumbling 'I'm sorry, I fell down' as I had done in the past.

"Sir." I acknowledged, internally glowing with pride. "Now go, Mindelan." I was sure his mouth was crinkled in mirth, though it was gone so fast, I started to doubt I had ever seen it, smiles never lasted long in pre-battle gloom anyways.

I urged my horse into a trot and rode past the men. _My men._ They whispered, they stared, I ignored them as I had learned to do so many years ago, and took the lead at the front. Neal riding to my side, sending me a crooked grin. Wyldon had been right, what had I been thinking?

'_Dom, you were thinking of Dom_' echoed in my head. Ashamed, I realized the voice was right. I had been all too willing to let lord Wyldon take my troops from my hands, take my burden from my shoulders, just so I could sigh like a love-struck little girl. I worried about things I could no more control than the weather, about things that may or may not happen. One could be driven mad by 'what if's.

I pushed him as far in my mind as I could. I needed to focus on the task at hand, on the battle, on _my men_. Dom could take care of himself. He had better.

--

It seemed as though the Gods wanted to test my new-wanted control for my men. We were attacked just the following afternoon.

Lord Wyldon's frown deepened as he robbed a Spidren of its leg. I, too, had an uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach, here were too few of them, far too few. "Ambush," Wyldon murmured to me, as he bit into a centaur's front shoulder, embedding his sword in its biggest muscle and then wrenching it out.

"Most probably, awaiting us to reach the trees," I muttered back, beheading a giant lizard with a grunt of effort. There was a barrier of trees up ahead, a hundred feet, I had warned my troops to stay far away, hoping they would obey me. Else face the violence that awaited them.

"They're retreating!" Garrett, one of my sergeants, yelled. Pointing to the line of retreating immortals. Their unity uncanny and too organized to have been made by them. They were upper level immortals, trained in battle by someone, a human, trained in the mortal way of battle.

It was just as expected, this smelled so badly of an upcoming ambush that it reeked in the air.

"Do we follow them?" Fenan asked mildly, an intimidatingly tall Bazhir with a choppy Tortallan accent. I hesitated, gouging distances.

"They separated, they're going in different directions." Neal sad, running a dirty hand through dirtier hair.

"They fled?" A man asked in the distance. I looked at Neal and frowned, this made no sense unless..."Scouts." we whispered at the same time, realization dawning quickly and somberly.

"In pursuit!" another man yelled in he distance, I did not turn to see who it was, focusing on the men who were turning to follow the immortals. Obviously the man who'd yelled had been a sergeant or a corporal, they would be no longer after this.

This is what commanders are for, I couldn't help but think, to stop soldiers from making such obvious tactical mistakes, such as this one.

"Garrett, take your men after the hoofed immortals, the moment you see traces of any more immortals, you turn and come right back, alright?" He turned and yelled the orders to his men. I knew men like Garrett who thought themselves as immortals as the ones they fought. I rode up beside him, leaning over and grabbing a fistful of his tunic under his mail, a sense of déjà vu taking over me, I brought his face next to mine.

"Any sign of more immortals, and you come back, understood Smithson?" He nodded his head, I refused to release him.

"Say it."

"Understood," he mumbled, I let him go with a thrust. "They're your men, and they are under your command, get them killed and it will be their blood on your hands, understood?" He nodded. The rest of the men were silent.

This is what happened when people who should listen to me, who were ordered to listen to me, didn't. They had to learn, whether they did the hard way, or the easy way, it was for them to decide. All was indifferent to me.

"You made yourself no friends today," murmured Wyldon as I rode next to him.

"I know, but it had to be done, and I did it." He nodded his approval, proud of the person I had become. Strangely, I was too.

"Rolf. Wence. take your men with Garrett's," They nodded and wheeled to face their men who goggled me.

"Francis. Kazlim, to me. We take the winged ones. Neal-- take Joaquin and Jack, organize them, have them search the area in sections, leave no stone unturned. Find any remaining ones." He liked like he was about to protest, I shot him a pleading look. We were wasting time and they were getting away! He nodded mutely and rode to the two sergeants.

"The rest of you stay here, protect horses and supplies." The remaining two sergeants nodded. I turned to lord Wyldon.

"You may ride or stay with whom you like, it is up to you." I stayed just long enough to see him nod before I turned to my own men.

"Let us go." And so the pursuit began.

--

Hooves thundered upon the rich forest floor. Stealth abandoned for speed. Our targets were white and grey blurs, flitting about the trees, making a steady shot impossible. The hunt was aggravating but the necessity of the spies being caught was a more pressing matter, and so far they were at an advantage.

One lucky arrow nicked a flying lizard's wing. It spiraled down to where one of Kazlim's men waited for it. He speared it through the belly, effectively putting an end to its misery.

I winced as an arrow buried itself in a passing tree, we had to be careful, these were all the supplies we had. The creatures turned finally, ready to attack. It was not the ideal situation, but we had the advantage in strength and numbers. Two from the back turned and flew off, out of sight. I cursed.

"Falsen--" I signalled the best archer in the group, he followed my heed. I signaled Kazlim now, he was in charge of the men, they would have our backs. We rode off after the two escaping lesser immortals, dodging the barrier quite literally and doing our best not to think of the arrows that showered down behind us.

Something green flashed up ahead, it was a tail, I nodded to Falsen who sped his horse after it. I looked about as I rode, waiting, waiting...there! Silver wings flapped up ahead. I pulled my bow out, holding onto Peachblossom with my knees, I trusted him not to let me fall.

His power, sweat soaked muscles were unrelenting and slowly I was catching up. I reached an arm back and grasped a griffin-fletched arrow, it would hit straight and true, if aimed properly. I placed it on the string, the movement of my body on the horse unsteadied me, I had to think it was just like taking a run at a flying quintain, with a bow and not a lance. I internalized the movement, breathing in as if meditating, I needed to be at peace with myself and my surroundings, I only had one chance at this. I couldn't fail.

Finally I felt the moment was right, I loosed my arrow and down the bird fell, if you could call it that. I stabbed it swiftly twice, I couldn't afford mistakes. I retrieved the undamaged arrow and winced as I placed it with the other clean ones. My quiver would reek of blood for weeks.

I patted Peachblossom's back, sending a quick prayer to Yama before heading back to my men.

The clearing was a mess of bodies, none of them human as far as I could tell. I trotted in, giving Kazlim a questioning glance, he smiled a tired grimace and I sighed, none dead.

"Aah--" I looked sharply to my right where Falson had just entered the clearing, a creature had dropped in on him from above. I threw a dagger at it, hoping Flasen had the sense not to move. The dagger hit and the creature dropped, letting Falsen free of its sharp talons. It slid twitching to the ground where Falsen's horse took no time in trampling it. I hissed in a breath, there was a huge gash on my best archer's arm.

--

We took longer than the others so we reached the campsite last. I looked around, why were we so short of men. Lord Wyldon turned towards me, a sombre and angry expression on his features.

"How many?" I asked.

"Fourteen." He hissed.

"Rolf stumbled into a trap, Wence followed him in, it took all of Garrett's force to pull them out, they suffered many losses, Rolf's entire group, him excluded, are dead." Fenan reported, I liked him, he was the most welcoming of them, though he was much the bearer of bad news now.

"Fourteen," I sighed, that was a big hit to a group of only a hundred. We were off balance now, a hundred had been based so that we could take the southern force with a struggle, eighty-six was a different story. But we were too close, we had no hope for reinforcements.

"Gather the men," I old Fenan, churning all the calculations previously done in my head. Could we? Did we have enough now?

Eighty men waited at the clearing, the other six scouting. They looked at me differently than they had before, maybe because now there were fourteen of them dead, maybe because now this wasn't such a joke. Maybe they realized finally that this was war.

"When we started off there were a hundred of us, " I fumed in anger. "Now there are eighty six. We were to fight with a hundred men and we are fourteen short off our calculations. We cannot turn back, we will not get reinforcements, we will fight. We will fight and perhaps we will die because of mistakes made today." I noticed the men stood apart from Rolf, I couldn't make myself look at him. "But we are not done yet, and we will fight because we must save time for the others to kill off the enemy that threatens our families and our home. But maybe it is time you realized that this is not a game, that this is not a practical joke. This is war and some of us will die. Friends, commanders, it happens. Maybe it is time you realized that this is life and death." I ended on a quieter, more serious note rather than angry. The men looked disheartened and abashed.

"Rolf." I said, walking towards him, glaring at everyone in my path until they had gone back to their assigned jobs. The man fell to his knees, holding his head, his body shaking wildly, jerking.

"Everyone makes mistakes," I said quietly, looking at him. He looked up, eyes red-rimmed. "But people payed for your mistake today." Still quiet, looking at him. I held my hand out, he put a nail in the seams attaching his sergeants badge to his arm, and slowly, carefully, ripped it off. He placed it in my palm. I put a hand on his shoulder; "life moves on," I said, not unkindly.

I walked to the small campfire that had been built, we didn't want smoke to alert our position so we kept the fires incredibly small.

"Fenan." He looked up, I passed him the badge. The campfire had gone incredibly quiet. He bowed his head and I sat on the log next to him, silently accepting some porridge and not muttering a word throughout dinner.

As I went into my tent I got onto my knees and looked at the ceiling of the canvas tent. Murmuring a prayer to the god of death for the lives of the men that had been lost today, and of the lives we would lose in two days' time.

War was a cruel thing, people were hurt, and maybe my men would learn that lesson today. Second Company was a good company, they had hard workers and great fighters, and they certainly didn't lack experience. But they hadn't realized the dangers of this mission, of this battle.

And it was about time they did.

* * *

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**Alright, longer than I had expected. Next one will be in Dom's POV and then the battle chapter, that might be broken into two. And maybe an epilogue. And then it is done. Done! This was my first fanfic on fanfiction, and I will be sorry to see it end.**

**I have recently put up 'I Hate Valentine's Day', a Blackwater fanfic, and finished 'Correction, Vampire' a Kate/Garrett three shot. I am working on my first one-shot in French, another Blackwater. **

**After this I will do my best to finish 'Lady Alanna, Definitely Not', and I have two more stories, almost halfway written on my computer that I will post. **

**I have been sick, busy, sick and busy again, but I am sorry, and I will do my best to finish this soon. very soon. Next update, next week! Hopefully...**

**Hope you liked it,**

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**Keep Reading,**

**xxTunstall Chickxx**

**16/02/09**


	21. Horn Calls For Help

**_HAPPY BIRTHDAY Lady Knight Adventures, you are now one years old.  
_**

**Aah! Okay, intense little chapter, more battle in the next one, the last battle one, and then maybe an epilogue. There is no way I could end with this one.**

**And of course, thank you to Tamora Pierce Junior, my beta, whom has finally come back from vacation. Thank you for your dedication, support and continous encouragement. And, of course, for editing.**

* * *

_--_

_War was a cruel thing, people were hurt, and maybe my men would learn that lesson today. Second Company was a good company, they had hard workers and great fighters, and they certainly didn't lack experience. But they hadn't realized the dangers of this mission, of this battle._

_And it was about time they did._

_--_

* * *

"Men! The day is upon us! And we will not let immortals and whatever bastard, my apologies Daine," Milord said bashfully, she waved him off with a smile. "And whatever evil son of a Stormwing leads them, hurt our families or our friends. Are you with me?" Third Company's fierce roar raised in a deep bellow echoing off the trees. We were not worried about the enemy knowing where we were, they already knew, we were riding out to meet them now.

"Then let us ride!" Raoul of Goldenlake and Malorie's Peak was a kind, gentle man. He was commander of all the King's Own, and he was as nice as he was good. The King's Own had never been this good, ever. But he was not known as The Giantkiller for nothing. As he wheeled his massive beast of a horse around, he was a hero, a fearsome warrior with nothing to hold him down. We had ridden with him for a long time, and it was clear to all of Third Company that this was personal for him, it was personal for us too.

Kel. I couldn't help but fret over her, where was she? Was she already engaged with the enemy? Was she alright? I was so proud of her, commander of Second, she had her own troops. She had worked her whole life for an opportunity like that.

She was living her dream.

"Dom, are you still with us?" I snapped my head towards Wolset who grinned wolfishly.

"Or are you thinking about how good a certain Lady Knight looks when she rides off to battle. Her shirt tight against her--" I lunged from my saddle, Wolset wheeled his horse away, laughing.

"Boys, behave. Wolset, don't let me hear you again."

"Yes sir," Wolset said grinning "I won't let you hear." He whispered, eyes twinkling with mirth. I grunted, but turned my horse back towards the awaiting line of soldiers.

"Alright men, this is it." Raoul whispered, the horses were beginning to get skittish with their rider's anticipation. Now, all we had to do was wait.

An echoing hiss came from the darkness of the trees before us and suddenly creatures sprang from the canopies screeching their battle cries. We hadn't anticipated an attack from the sky and our pikes were useless. Hundreds of scaled flying monsters flew towards us, we raised our shields above our heads. I forced myself not to flinch as I heard choking screams of men whom hadn't raised theirs fast enough.

I braced myself for impact and was not disappointed, within moments something pelted onto my shield. It slid off with a dying wail. They weren't too bright, but they most definitely out numbered us. A loud, animal roar came from the forest. This time land immortals made their way towards us.

Centaur arrows, griffin-fletched, started to rain on our heads. We couldn't cover our heads and fight off the advancing immortals at the same time.

"Archers, get rid of the centaurs, pick them and shoot!" Raoul's voice boomed as he rode out to engage a minotaur. The beast wielded an enormous two-handed axe and held it as if it was naught but a feather. I tore my eyes away, Raoul had killed giants before. The archers were true to their shots, and less of the enemy's arrows were hitting their targets, where was Kel's group? Had something happened to them? There were too many immortals, more than Daine's spies had told us there would be.

I beheaded one of the flying lizards as it dove at me, I saw Wolset run one through beside me. "Archers, cover us, front lines, with me!" I held my bloodied sword out as I charged a killer unicorn. I cut at it, it thrust my sword aside, my horse veered off, saving me from the wickedly sharp horn. I chopped sideways and cut most of the horn off. Enraged, it spun, kicking out with its strong legs. This reminded me of Kel. Kel. I shook my head to clear it of her face as I fended off the unicorn again. I slashed at its side, Aidan chopped at its neck, leaving a large gash. It turned towards him, caught between our horses and I slammed my sword with as much power as I could muster into the gash. Silver blood spurted and Aidan and I parted, the thanks for his help could be given later.

I brought my horn to my lips and blew two long blasts, calling for help. No horn calls answered. I blew again but had to duck from being impaled on a centaur's cutlass.

Where was Second? We were going to be slaughtered! I kept blowing the horn, they had better get here soon...or they won't find much of us left...

--

_Elsewhere, down south_

"Wyldon, we've got company." Kel called out, lowering her spyglass. "Immortals, approaching fast."

"How many?" He asked quietly, she shook her head,

"Not enough to stop us, but plenty enough to slow us down."

"They're trying to stop us from getting to Third," Neal said, quiet compared to his usual boisterous self.  
"I will kill whomever is commanding these troops," Kel threatened, cursing.

"They are steadily approaching the river, it's a tight pass, we can rush them. Their entire force can't pass through all at once." Fenan commented looking through his own spyglass.  
"Warn your men, we will ride to meet them. We have the advantage, we will use it." Kel said, voice even, though not enough to mask her fury. Neal touched her shoulder, she shook him off. Wyldon settled on giving her a look, then shrugged it off and rode towards his own men. 'They will pray they never tried to stop us from going to our comrades' aid." Kel remarked, "Mark my words."  
"So mote it be," Neal whispered, he knew better than to try to talk to her, not that there was much reason to. Third Company was as much his family as hers. Lord Raoul as good as a second father and Dom-- bah, he had no idea what to think of his blue-eyed cousin.

"We have kept this realm for 463 years, we are not about to lose it to creatures from the pits of Chaos. We will not let them kill our friends and comrades, we will not let them hinder us from going to their aid." Horn calls from Third Company were faint in the distance, but where as plain a cry for help as they could give. Third Company didn't call for no reason. "We will not let them take us, we will not let them win. This is our era, the era of man, and woman, the era of humans, and we shall keep it so for many more years. We will not bow down." Kel's voice was steely, eyes flashing, words pouring honey on her soldiers who roared their agreement.

"For Tortall!" She cried, setting her horse in a gallop, after not a second of hesitation, Wyldon's and Neal's horses flanked hers. Second Company behind them. No creature would take their friends from them. Not today. Not in this lifetime.

--

_Somewhere to the west_

Alanna's pounding headache had been steadily getting worse throughout the day. It was a magical headache, and that could not mean anything good. Not to mention First Company was antsy, not staying still. She took to the refuge of her tent, trying to drown out the noise, the whispers, the movement, the bright colours. Now why on Earth where the Own's colours so _vivid_? Honestly, royal blue?

"Alanna!" Harailt of Aili swept into her tent, the only in her charge that _could_ charge into her tent without suffering painful reactions. She sat up with a slight yelp, her head was being hammered.  
"Third Company calls for aid!"

"What?" she gasped, standing and almost toppling over, glad it was only them in the tent.  
"We can hear them in the distance, they are losing, Second is silent as far as horns go."

"It is too early, this cannot be happening." She muttered, clipping her sword belt on and fastening the leather straps.

"Should we go to their aid?" Theodore Longling asked, as they emerged. He was one of her sergeants, though one of the most brilliant he was also the freshest, he had never seen battle, and that would hinder him greatly. Alanna sighed, shaking her head.

"No, we shall do what we planned to do," The men had gathered around to listen.

"But we cannot let them die, they are our fellow soldiers--"

"Second is there to go to their aid, we cannot allow ourselves to go as well," Roald of Conte answered quietly, Alanna was glad he would deal with it. Nobody more than she had been surprised when Jonathan had let him come. It had been however, the first time she had ever heard Roald raise his voice to anyone, especially his father.

"They are our friends--" another man protested, Alanna sighed, her little patience worn thin from her headache.

"The Giantkiller can look after himself, doubtless Third can too. Second is there for them, we cannot follow them because our own mission is more important. We have to stop this, before we lose more than just soldiers." Dermind of Josu's Dirk said. He was a good fighter, for all he believed his men inferior. His last comment 'more than just soldiers' had the men bristling in anger.

"We will take the man responsible for this, we will make him pay for the lives that were lost, for the blood that was shed, but to make him pay, we must stay true to our orders, stay true to our plan, and act the way an army is supposed to." Roald said, tone even, bland, everybody knew his two closest, dearest friends were in Second; Mindelan and Queenscove. Only Alanna seemed to notice the slight glare he sent towards Dermind.

"Lioness!" One of the scouts ran in the middle of the clearing, whatever he had to say was irrelevant at the moment though because at the same precise time, Alanna and Harailt had raised their hands towards the east, palms up and blazing, pointed towards an object in the air. They muttered a fast spell and their Gifts shot from their palms to hit the ball of Blazebalm, making it explode in the air, and showering on the men who screamed in pain as they were burned by falling droplets.

"Catapults." Cursed Roald of Conté, future king and heir to the Tortallan throne, before running off, yelling orders.

--

_Somewhere to the East_

"Oh curse it!" Commander Buriam Tourakom yelled in frustration. She was no longer commander of the riders, but had been given temporary charge of them, the actual commander, now her second, Evin Larse, had given her the temporary post without argument. Now he looked at her, lips pursed. Of course she was angry, Third Company's distressed calls from the North-West had been calling for a few minutes now and her husband was with them. Evin, however, was more worried about the powerful black robe mage that stood beside him. He was looking positively murderous, his wife was with Third. Nobody liked standing next to any angry mage, let alone Numair Salmalin.

The air about him crackled, like little dancing sparks, little _black_ dancing sparks.

"Numair, calm down." Onua Chamtong said. She hadn't wanted to come, but she was here, just as sick and worried about Daine as he was. "She will be alright, she always is." The sparks disappeared, the look on his face didn't. "The horses are already on edge," he 'hmphed' but his attention was now elsewhere. Onua drew breath to speak again but he held a hand up to silence her.

"Does anybody else hear that?" He said, everybody around him immediately fell silent. The only sound were the horn alls from the north.

"What?" Evin asked, when nobody spoke and nothing happened. Numair waved a hand in silence, and then they heard it. As if the ground was shaking, and then quenching and then...stillness.

"Numair--are those what I think they are?" Buri was looking out through her spyglass, her hand trembled slightly. He took it from her and looked, going deathly white.

"Skinners!" He yelled, nobody moved, paralyzed. He grabbed Evin's tunic.

"Round up your men and keep them back, they will die if they fight." He let them go and sprouted black magic from every corner of his being. Evin and the others scrambled back.

"Dear Horse Lords, Alanna, put a stop to this." Onua whispered in prayer, knowing prayer was not going to help them. The gods had left this up to the mortals this time.

--

* * *

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**A little intense, the next will be worse, and with the capture of quote "that son a Stormwing who controls them".**

**Hope you liked it.**

**Review!  
**

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**Keep Reading,**

**xxTunstall Chickxx**

**9/06/09**

**P.S. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!**


	22. Bellum Letale

**The battle is finished, only the epilogue is left... hope you liked it, quite intense, I'll warn you.**

**Let me know what you think.**

**Dedicated as always to my beta, for all your help. Tamora Pierce Junior, you are amazing.**

* * *

**North:** Where was Second? We were going to be slaughtered! I kept blowing the horn, they had better get here soon...or they won't find much of us left...

**South: **"For Tortall!" She cried, setting her horse in a gallop, after not a second of hesitation, Wyldon's and Neal's horses flanked hers. Second Company behind them. No creature would take their friends from them. Not today. Not in this lifetime.

**West:** "Catapults." Roald of Conté, heir to the Tortallan throne cursed before running off, yelling orders.

**East:** "Skinners!"

* * *

"Dear Horse Lords, Alanna, put a stop to this." Onua whispered in prayer, knowing prayer was not going to help them. The gods had left this up to the mortals this time.

Numair Salmalin, the Crown's black robe mage was grey with exhaustion. Sweat rolled in beads, drip-dropping off his thick brows. His robes were soaked through. He knew he couldn't last much longer, as did Onua, Horse Mistress of the Riders. She knew better than to help him, or to hold him; the man had his pride. Instead she stood close, close enough to catch him if he fell. _When_ he fell, she privately thought.

The Riders' horses were close to losing themselves to an oblivious frenzy, the only thing keeping them sane was the ability to keep calm they had picked up from the Wildmage. Still the trainees, though almost frozen in sheer horror themselves, held onto their reins with all their strength.

One gray mare, a frisky newcomer to the Riders had bolted from the Skinners, only to come face to face with another. Steely-faced, her rider looked at her corpse, wishing he could do more than pray for her, wishing he could have saved her, wishing he had held her reins tighter. A horse and his Rider were often closer than family. They were their home away from home, their safety in battle, their closest companion; as if they shared blood.

Black magic, Numair's magic, shoved itself toward an advancing immortal, smothering it, only to have it explode. Moments later the mud, slime, whatever it was, regrouped itself to create a new skinner. Master Numair had given up the hope of killing them years past, now he contended himself with keeping them far away from the Riders who could barely do anything, their nets passing through them uselessly.

_If only Alanna would hurry_, Numair cursed. After this was all over, he'd personally make sure the Summoner would pay for his actions. When a Skinner had gotten too close to an older rider, he had shot at it with his bow, the arrow had passed clean through it. The man, eyes widened in terror, had stumbled back, saving himself from a fate none would have wanted, nor wanted to see. Some had already met the unfortunate end, their bodies littering the little field of battle.

Buri cursed time and time again. If only this lord would fight like a man! Show himself! What kind of a battle was it if the enemies couldn't be defeated? Pitching an unstoppable army against one meant for the purpose of diversion?

Numair swayed and Onua and Buri surged to catch the impossibly tall man. Sarge took the burden from them, and they gave it up gratefully. The skinners moved forwards and Onua let out a cry as one pitched itself against her.

"Riders! Steady the nets! Keep your horses ready and attack when I tell you to, and not a moment sooner!" Buri screamed as she pulled Onua away from the thing. The Riders tensed, how could they win against an undefeatable enemy?

* * *

"Push through!" If you were to see Alanna the Lioness, the King's Champion, on the road one summer's day, you would never guess that such a tiny creature could make such a loud noise. Her roar echoed over the clashes of people scrambling to evade catapults and the onslaught of the enemy. The immortals seemed not to care how many of their own they hit with their catapults and so their trajectories were erratic at best.

One catapult stone had already hit a healer's tent. Alanna had gritted her teeth against the shrieks of her dying men: ah, the horror of battle. Her Lightning gleamed no more, covered from tip to hilt in gooey blood. Alanna would never get used to seeing silver and black blood rather than crimson. It simply wasn't _natural._

She kept an eye on the prince, wielding his sword in deadly arcs as he sliced immortal after immortal cleanly in two. Jon would never forgive her if she let his eldest son, a married man and a father, die in battle. She had joined the prince's side of the argument and if he died, well, she would never forgive herself either.

First company was pushing through the immortals slowly but steadily. The offending fief, built like a fortress, looming ahead of them with dark shapes pouring from its gates in endless tides, coming ever closer. "Push through!" Her voice was hoarse from screaming. _Mithros_, she thought, _if we get through this alive I'd gladly stay in bed silent for a month. _A splintering crash made her chance a look up to the front of the battle, someone had centered a catapult. She stopped herself from pumping her fist in the air, the battle wasn't won yet. An hour later they still pushed, many unhorsed men plowing through the muddy and littered battle field. She was glad to have Darkmoon between her legs still. There were more pieces of both humans and immortals on the ground than there was dirt.

The gates! The gates were just ahead, and the immortals weren't coming in as big streams anymore!

"RAM!" She yelled to Roald above the clashes, he nodded and wheeled his horse around, trampling a fallen wyvern with his mighty steed. Alanna called out changes to the formation and her soldiers gathered around the massive wood and metal ram that made its way through the mass of bodies. The immortals, sensing danger, swarmed to it and the soldiers hacked at them. Alanna considered herself blessed with a company that didn't lose its head in battle and thanked countless times her big friend, Knight Commander to the King's Own, for his discipline over his men. She impaled her sword through a unicorn, before pulling her sword out and hacking at another's horn. The beast roared and reared, trying to lash out with its forelegs. Alanna wheeled Darkmoon around and swung at the hurt and enraged beast once more. It avoided her, and caught one of the men with its hind legs instead. The man remained on the ground and was promptly stepped on by a spidren, which bent to feast on his prey.

Growling, a sergeant Admir speared the foul creature through the chest.

Alanna caught the killer unicorn on the leg, slicing through one of the tendons. The beast neighed, horse-screamed, in pain and bit Alanna on the arm. She cursed herself for not raising her shield in time and nodded to Harailt whom had finished off the unicorn for her. She tossed her sword to her other arm and, wincing, adjusted her shield.

"Lioness!" She turned her horse with a nudge of her knees to look at a horsed man, grimy and dirty and covered in blood. "We're about to break through."

Alanna didn't need to be told twice, she galloped towards the gates, hacking at another wyvern on her way. She sent a bolt of her preserved Gift towards the gates, helping the battering ram. Her little push seemed to be the final one and the gates burst open. She galloped past the men and into the dark castle. Her horse panted with the effort and the exhaustion, not to mention countless wounds and the fact that it was galloping at top speed up hundreds of steps.

Alanna urged her horse on until it could no longer walk, she only chanced a glance at her faithful, dying steed before running up the steps. She would cry for her later, she would pray for her later, right now she had a deal to settle with a thrice cursed mage.

"Stop! In the name of the law! By Mithros, move and I will kill you." Alanna forced her voice not to shake from the pain and the fatigue. The man by the window turned, except it wasn't a man at all.

"Welcome, Lioness."

"You!" Alanna gasped.

* * *

Dom wrenched his eyes away from Lukin. The boy had been a mean hand with a sword, and an incredible card player. Who needed wages when they were as lucky as him with the cards? Now he wouldn't be playing any more cards in the human realms. Mangled, the boy was face down in the mud, arm ripped from his body.

Dom shook his head, it was a loss he would never forget. He worked parallel with Aiden, another sergeant of Third. They hacked, lunged, blocked, (in some cases parried), in the mass of flailing limbs.

"They should have come by now." Wolset said, face bleak with the implied meaning.

"Don't -ah- jump to any conclusions just yet." Aidan panted, dodging a flying lizard.

"Don't keep hoping they'll just show up either," The man returned angrily, blocking a Spidren's hacking axe. Any further discussion was impeded by a large ogre who had come between the three.

It was strange to see ogres in the fight; the immortals were considered intelligent, and their involvement in the scheme seemed highly improbable. After years in the King's Own however, Domitan of Masbolle had given up dividing things into probable and improbable, things seemed to happen whether they should or shouldn't. He refused to think Kel was dead, refused to think Second had failed. Somewhere, he knew that his hope was as bleak as the feeble rays of sunshine that illuminated the battle. If it wasn't for the seeing advantages, he almost wished for darkness; there better things for him to look at than his friends, companions, torn up and bloody.

"Push them into the trees! The trees!" Dom yelled, he wondered where Raoul had gotten to; he had been around shouting orders only a moment ago. Dom of course, Aiden, and whomever else had a head on their shoulders had helped relay what he had been saying, but now he was nowhere to be seen.

Wolset let out a choked gasp, Dom turned to him and galloped forwards, killing the Spidren that had Wolset in its sticky web. The man nodded his thanks before turning and slashing at another foe.

There were so many immortals and his men, after hours of fighting, were droopy and out of energy. Not to mention out of faith in a won battle. If only Second would show.

An arrow hurtled from seemingly nowhere and embedded itself into Aiden's shoulder. The man, white with pain, clutched onto his horse's saddle horn and took gulping breaths. He shook his head at a soldier that had moved forwards to help him, slowly straightening up and bringing his sword up and into a centaur.

Dom saw this all in his peripheral vision, as he was engaged in a heated battle with a shape-shifter. This tricky immortal changed shape every time it turned, disappearing into something relatively small, and then something huge with large teeth. Dom had to use all of his remaining strength to keep up with the cursed thing.

Horns! There were horns on his left. He looked away from his fight for a moment and was rewarded with a sharp sting to his wrist, he hacked at the newly-formed savage dog and sent it sprawling on the ground. His mount lifted his front legs and then brought them down on the fallen immortal with a sickening crunch.

And suddenly the immortals were receding, retreating; fleeing into the forest as Second came riding in, fresher than Third was. The men, now free of their fight, lifted their hands in a cheer. The immortals were almost completely out of sight; they would chase them another day. It was as if the moment Second had joined them, a spell had been broken, releasing them from their blood-prison.

Cheers erupted from the euphoric men. Second galloped through and joined ranks with Third. Dom lifted himself on his stirrups, searching Second frantically for the sign of his knight and her temperamental horse. Yes, _his_ knight.

"Dom!" He turned to see the very same woman galloping towards him in the midst of all the men. He, in turn, ignoring his pains and the men who didn't know a thing, galloped towards her as well.

The horses sidled to a stop next to each other, Keladry of Mindelan ripped her helmet off, Dom's had been removed prior by a set of very sharp claws. Without stopping for air, nor for a look at one another, they grabbed each other's faces. Not for sweetness, not out of love, but out of harsh necessity - a need to make sure the other was intact and well. Dom drew Kel into him, kissing her as if he had been a man lost in the desert and had just found water, as if he was a bird and he had opened his wings to fly for the first time, as if he had been choking and had finally taken a gust of air... as if he had been a baby, and had opened his eyes for the first time to the world.

Cheers. Yells. Whoops of delight from their onlookers. Dom looked at Kel, as if seeing her for the first time, and felt old. He felt as if hundreds of years had passed since he had last looked at her. And so, caked in grime, in old and new blood, covered in mud and sweat, he looked into her eyes and said, clearly and boldly; "Marry me."

There was no question in his tone. There didn't need to be.

"Yes." She said simply, though there was nothing simple in life. They had come to find that out the hard way. "Yes." She repeated as he grabbed her to him again and the cheers increased in volume. He kissed her with passion, with all the love of the world because, at the moment, their love could move oceans.

Lord Wyldon of Cavall looked on with a smile, their work was not over yet, but he was glad for the girl he regarded as a daughter. Everybody deserved happiness, even Lady Knights. The man sighed wistfully; it had been a while since he had seen his wife, his girls, his fief. _After all this is over_, he thought, _I want to go home for a bit. I want to see my family._

* * *

"You!" The Lioness gasped in surprise, the surprise was short lived though as clashes from outside increased in volume.

"Yes, me." The tone the woman used was nonchalant but Alanna didn't miss the woman's hands tightening and darkening slightly as her Gift pooled into her fists.

"You are under arrest, and you had best pray that you never pass near the men outside, for they would surely kill you, lady or no. And I would let them." Alanna bristled in anger. This was not her easy-come-easy-go anger, this was a fury that was lodged deep into her chest. She wanted to know the lady's reasons for so much useless fighting, so much useless death.

"And how do you plan to take me, Lioness?" The woman was clearly taunting her shorter counterpart, eyes dancing with wickedness. She was not the woman Alanna had met; the quiet, meek one.

"Your army is dying, and you cannot win your fight against me." Alanna's own magic dripped into her fingers, clenched tightly onto Lightning's hilt.

"I can summon more from where they came from." Her voice seemed perfectly at ease though her stance was like a cat's; crouched and ready to spring when necessary.

"One question, before I kill or imprison you: why?"

"_Why? _Do you know who I am, Lady Knight?"

"I know who you said you were, but I may be mistaken, so please enlighten me." Alanna, though tone blatantly pleasant, was mentally listing the best ways of taking the woman, whom though not as powerful, was not wounded nor tired from battle.

"I am Lady Maia. I believe you have come here before, have you not lady knight? To arrest my husband perhaps? Lord Synthia?" Alanna's world froze for a second. Synthia. Ozorne. Wife. Lady Maia.

That's where she had seen the woman, at fief Synthia some years passed, the wife of the man that had betrayed Tortall to Carthak.

"I thought I had recognized you. But, then again, Lord Synthia had many wives." Alanna knew her chance to buy time was almost over, she needed to move fast and she needed to move quickly.

"How dare you-" Alanna took her moment and set a purple ball hurtling to the no-doubt expensive crystal chandelier that hung over the middle of the room. Lady Maia shrieked, and sent a blast towards where Alanna had been moments before. The lady knight however had thrown herself off to the side, and, rolling on shards of the broken glass, had hidden behind one of the big plush chairs. A blast hit the desk, leaving a scorch mark the size of Alanna's head in the wood. Papers exploded into the air, showering Alanna who kept her mouth shut despite the burn.

She sent a bolt at the lady whom was now hiding as well. The shot ricocheted off the woman's shield and smashed into one of the heavily ornamented mirrors, it shattered.

"Pity," The lady taunted "that's seven years of bad luck for you. If you even last that long." Alanna kept silent, trying to move soundlessly from her position.

She needed stealth and power, this was a mages' battle.

* * *

Commander Buriram Tourakom sweated ice. She watched as the people she had trained and loved were cut down in pieces. Stupid, she told herself over and over again, never get attached to soldiers. But she was only human after all. She was bleeding heavily from a cut to her thigh and her head spun around and around.

"Larse!" Her voice trembled, she sounded weak and tired, she didn't sound like a commander. Her second in command rode to her all the same.

"Take command again, I can't command like this." Evin nodded mutely, giving her a look of concern, before charging a skinner and cutting it in half, not that it did much. It didn't take long for him to start shouting orders at the top if his lungs. Looking around, she knew none of the Riders would escape this battle unscathed. Daine, having flown here in her fastest shape, was wrapped in Numair's cloak as she fought the beings with all she had. Numair, though very weak, fought as well. Onua was passed out but between the two, well protected. She had given her strength to Numair, for he would be more help than her. Numair had protested, but had been cut short. Buri hated to admit it but Onua had been right.

Searing pain worked its way up her injured leg, she grimaced. This was the worst leg wound she had ever had and she had had quite a few. Sweat soaked her body and her clothes seemed to drag her down into a pit of never ending blackness. Her eyesight went grey, and the famed commander toppled from her horse.

"Buri!" Miri, second in command to Evin, yelled, seeing her old commander fall from her horse but being too far away to do ought of it. Her yell turned to a cry as a Skinner descended upon the motionless woman. A roar, and a snarl erupted in a rumble from the big blackman's chest. Sarge threw himself at the skinner, between it and Buri. Miri watched in horror, frozen as the black man whom everybody had grown to love toppled over and fell; sword outstretched. The skinner was re-forming itself but Sarge could not, time seemed to stop and the battle sounds seemed to be decades away. Sarge...

"Sarge!" Daine the Wildmage screamed, but the black man was long gone.

Evin Larse grimaced, heart tightening at the sight before him, before swooping in and dragging the unconscious Buri onto his horse. He knew it was stupid, that the other injured would stay down and be tended to later, but he couldn't help it; Sarge had been a good friend of his, and he had given his life to Buri, he couldn't bear it if he lost Buri too.

But hope faded from the Rider army as soon as it had appeared, even the knights that fought alongside them seemed to deflate at the image of the strong, mighty, impossibly tough black man dead on the ground.

Daine lashed out with her power in a flurry of enraged yells, fighting to get to him, forgetting who and where she was. A warm, calloused, and tired arm wound itself around her waist, restraining her.

"I'm sorry." Numair whispered into her ear, his voice was soft but it brought her back to the real world, reminding her of who and where she was. She turned her rage on the immortals before her, whom had killed a great man, a great friend.

Numair shot yet more bolts of black, but he knew he too would suffer from the same fate of Commander Buri if he didn't stop. And then it was as if a spell wad been cast on the battle field: the creatures stopped moving as one and turned liquid, sinking into the muddy ground, becoming a part of it again. Nobody moved for a bit, staring at the ground intently. The creatures never came back out.

_She did it,_ Numair thought tiredly, _Alanna did it. _But looking about the bodies that surrounded him, he thought bleakly that this was the saddest victory in the history of the Human Realms. The people near him seemed to be having the same thoughts, and, faces impossibly dark, bent down to pick up fallen comrades. Numair swayed, but had enough energy in his body to catch his lover as she fell, exhausted.

* * *

The room was trashed and Alanna wondered if there was ought that had been spared. Both women gasped, drowsy from their excessive use of their Gift. Alanna gripped Lightning, as if it were the only thing that could keep her from falling.

She stood up, a blast from her hand caught the young woman in the stomach, sending her hurtling backwards and into a vanity table. The woman was sprawled on the floor, beautiful hair cascading in a honey hue about her. She looked tired, and yet smiled all the same, she looked so peaceful, so innocent. How could a creature like this have caused so much havoc, so much pain?

Alanna thought this as she pressed her sword to the woman's neck. Her chest heaved upwards and downwards as she struggled to breathe normally.

"Are you going to kill me? I deserve it, don't I?" The woman's voice was almost pleading and suddenly a torch seemed to light in Alanna's mind.

"You did this," she gasped, "so whoever caught you would kill you. You wanted to die. You didn't want revenge at all, did you?" The woman's mousy eyes stared up at her, not ashamed one bit.

"You sold your soul to the Goddess of Chaos." The lady knight whispered horrified, before applying pressure to her sword, cutting down swiftly. Blood squirted and not a sound came out of the Lady of Synthia. The walls were splattered by the vile droplets. It was the first time Alanna had killed an unarmed opponent. There would be no King's Justice for this creature.

"You sicken me." Alanna whispered. Lady Maia never heard her disgust.

* * *

The immortals, now without a leader, turned and fled. First company waited and waited. Third and Second cheered as they watched two of their commanders find solace in one another. The Riders tallied their dead, mourning friends. Nothing raised itself from the ground. Nothing killed yet another innocent man. Daine's animals circled anxiously but the forest was silent. The river's water was quiet, flowing red.

There was a veil of silence over the world, a veil of sadness and drowsiness.

Alanna walked slowly outside the gates, now hanging off hinges, sword just a centimetre away from trailing on the ground. First erupted in yells of victory, a horn call sounding, telling the others of their Tortallan victory. Horn calls answered in the distance, and vaguely, faintly, a trace of cheering could be heard from the north.

"Alanna, what happened? Who was it?" Alanna looked at Harailt of Aili tiredly. He was not a soldier and so was not filled with the same grim satisfaction as they were, but with eternal fatigue.

"Let's go home." The Lioness said, not feeling like talking much at the moment.

* * *

Blue, sapphire eyes wept over the large ground. King Jonathan of Conté stood before a glorious monument of white marble. This monument was the pride and joy of the finest architects money could buy. A marvel and a beauty, for all it represented.

A large towering carving of a man and a woman, dressed for battle, armed with long swords and with bows strapped onto their backs as they fought invisible opponents. All along the base were carved the names of those who had fallen in battle. Hundreds upon hundreds of names: Fathers. Sisters. Brothers. Best Friends. Betrotheds. People whom had had families and friends. And all around the king were those families and friends who looked at the statue wishing that they could have said their goodbyes.

"My soldiers, you rode forwards to battle and you come back victorious. But at what cost? How many lives were lost because of a grieving woman? We shall miss them, every one of them, who fought so valiantly for this victory. We will mourn them for the time that is necessary, and we will never forget them. They were not just names, they were people, and their faces, their spirits and souls will be in our hearts for all eternity. Lest we Forget - Bellum Letale. Lethal war. Deadly war. But we made it through; we survived because of their sacrifice. Their deaths did not go to waste nor will we let them. May their passage to the Dark Realms be swift, may the course of their afterlife run smoothly and may all the Gods bless them."

King Jonathan spoke firmly, looking over the crowd of hundreds that had gathered. They all whispered together, as if united by his speech. Old women, lamed soldiers, rich nobles in their dark satins and silks, and poor commoners in breeches and shirts, black bands over wrists or heads, all looking at the monument in sorrow. All of them: women, men, children alike, kneeled, bowing heads to their king. "So mote it be."

And then there were no cries of dismay, not a baby squealed. Tears made their way soundlessly down cheeks, the silence punctured solely by the rustle of garments in the wind.

Bellum Letale. Lethal war. Deadly war.

* * *

**I, xxTunstall Chickxx, do solemnly swear that the epilogue will not be sad, but happy, and that it will be up before two weeks are up.  
**

**So, Lady Maia, show of hands, who guessed?**

**Hope you liked it,  
**

**Review!  
**

**Keep Reading,**

**xxTunstall Chickxx**

**7/04/09**


	23. Epilogue: and it goes on and on and on

**Epilogue - and it goes on and on and on**

* * *

There was something different in the air that day. The flowers were in bloom, the skies were a periwinkle blue, the birds were chirping...yes, there was definitely something in the air that day.

The strangest of all things was the laughter coming from one pitched tent, a startling white contrast with its moss-green surroundings. There had been a dark after-war fog that had hung around the palace. It had made the servants droop, made the children quiet, made the dogs stop barking. It had been as if the world had gone silent and no matter how perfectly blue the skies were, they simply always seemed grey. Until today, the day that had broken the spell.

The day of the wedding.

If one were to look inside the white tent they would blink. Then blink again. And then blink a third time for the motley assembly of women that were fussing around the young lady knight were so colourful even blinking couldn't get their dresses out of your mind. A bright green Yukimi noh Daiomoru, whose kimono was embroidered with ornate golden dragons and beautiful white lilies, and whose white obi was pin-drop straight, stood right in front of the knight. Her carefully practiced fingers brushed face paint over the other woman, her feather-light touches expertly dancing across her skin leaving a path of stunning colours in their wake.

Kel hadn't fought too hard keep her wedding simple and herself in a plain dress, it had been no surprise when she'd lost because anybody close to Keladry of Mindelan knew that for all she was a boyish creature, she still liked looking pretty and would do nothing less than look beautiful in the presence of her beloved. Who, unsurprisingly, wouldn't have minded her in a Mithran Priests' robe for all he cared of her clothes.

A fiery red Ilane of Mindelan, proud mother and soon-to-be mother-in-law stood behind Kel, brushing a hand absentmindedly on her daughter's hair. The older woman's mind was somewhere else entirely, focused on a much younger Keladry of Mindelan who played outside on the grass, who sucked her mama's breasts for milk, who learned to walk...and slowly the tears started trickling down her face. The Yamanis present covered their mouths but nothing stopped the wide smile that broke over Lady Alanna's or Queen Thayet's face. The Lioness put a hand on the taller woman's shoulder reassuringly.

"They all grow up eventually."

"I know Alanna, that doesn't mean I have to like it," Ilane murmured, brushing away the tears unabashedly with her other hand.

"Oh, mama." Kel stood from her chair and went to her mother who shook her head.

"You'll ruin your dress." Kel ignored her and hugged the woman tightly to her.

Yes, the air was charged with something strange that day, it was charged with love and happiness and an eternity of both.

* * *

A very large man made his way towards the wide isle with his ex-squire's arm wrapped over his own. Her grip was iron strong and he couldn't help but grin, she had finally found something that terrified her and made her impossibly happy at the same time. What were heights compared to this?

"Take a deep breath," he whispered into her ear, as they were about to enter the church dedicated to the Great Mother, the church where all rich holy matrimonies were celebrated, and the only place the Masbolle family would allow them to be married in.

She did so shakily and then smiled at him and nodded her head.

"Let's do this,"

"Why is it that you said the same thing before launching yourself onto a Hurrok unarmed?" She glared at him and started walking. He caught up with her and had to hold his tongue since the church doors had opened. He tugged lightly on his old squire's arm, snapping her out of her reverie.

She took a shaky step and then another and finally they managed to begin their walk. They passed almost all of Third Company who sat with wide grins or smirks, a Cleon of Kennan whose smile seemed too wide for his face, and an Ilane of Mindelan who was crying the Olorun river into her handkerchief. They passed old friends from the palace, new friends from the palace and came before the altar where Jump, the scoundrel, sat at Dom's feet with a wagging stump of a tail.

The look on Domitan of Masbolle's face was the happiest and most magical of them all. Lord Raoul remembered exactly what that face felt like to make because he knew that he had held the same awestruck look not so long ago at his own wedding. He let go of his squire and bowed to the two, ironically enough considering their positions, and made his way to his left; towards his assigned seat next to his wife.

"They make me feel old," he muttered to Commander Buriram Tourakom.

"You _are_ old, now hush up." Dom and Kel took each other's hands and the priest nodded to the assembly to sit down.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered together here in the sight of the Goddess to join together this Man and this Woman in holy Matrimony; which is an honourable estate, instituted of the Goddess in the realms of the Gods, and into which holy estate these two persons present come now to be joined."

"So mote it be," murmured deadpan the company.

"Therefore if any man can show any just cause, why they may not lawfully be joined together, let him now speak, or else hereafter forever hold his peace." Silence echoed and the priest's words seemed to bounce around the temple.

Silence once more. A baby cried somewhere within the vast temple and a mother hushed it up quick.

Then the priest turned to Domitan of Masbolle; "Wilt thee have this Woman to be thy wedded wife, to live together after the Goddess's ordinance in the holy estate of Matrimony? Wilt thee love her, comfort her, honour, and keep her, in sickness and in health; and forsaking all other, keep thee only unto her, so long as ye both shall live?"

"I will." Sir Nealan of Queenscove took a shuddering breath from behind them, as the man of Honour, and bit his lip, trying not to do anything that would ruin the moment. Dom reached into the pocket of his fancy tunic and pulled out a silk handkerchief, he passed it onto his cousin who bowed his head and wiped the tears hastily away.

Then the priest turned to Keladry of Mindelan and looked her squarely in the eye. "Wilt thee have this man to be thy wedded husband, to live together after the Goddess's ordinance in the holy estate of Matrimony? Wilt thee obey him, and serve him, love, honour, and keep him in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all other, keep thee only unto him, so long as ye both shall live?"

"I will." She turned slightly at the sound of a dam breaking whereupon she saw the Lady of Masbolle and the Lady of Mindelan clutch to each other helplessly. Lord Anders' of Mindelan made his way over to the couple as the minister brought them right before the altar.

"Who giveth this Woman to be married to this Man?" He called to the assembly.

"I, Lord Anders of Mindelan as appointed Lord of Mindelan after my father's, Lord Piers of Mindelan's death, giveth my permission for the betrothal of mine youngest sister, Lady Knight Keladry of Mindelan, to Sergeant Domitan of Masbolle." He took Kel's right hand and put it in the hand of the minister before returning to his seat.

The priest took Kel's hand and placed it within Domitan's. Neal moved forwards and knelt, presenting a jeweled box which once opened contained two rings set unto a background of black silk, another tear slid slowly down his grinning face.

Dom took the first ring and bowed his head to his cousin, he then took both of Kel's hands and said: "with this Ring I thee wed," he placed the ring on her thumb, "and with my body I thee honour," he placed it onto her index finger, "and with all my worldly goods I thee endow;" finally he placed it upon her ring finger, "In the Name of the Goddess, and of Mithros. So mote it be."

Kel repeated the same gesture with him and then the priest took their hands and raised them, turning to their audience.

"So mote it be."

The audience stood up as one and bent on one knee, "so mote it be". Domitan of Masbolle picked up his newly wedded bride and spun her around before drawing her close and kissing her, kissing her like he'd never kissed her. Kissing her like she was his oxygen, because he needed to feel her soft lips on his, because everything finally made sense in his world and he needed her to know it.

And the company cheered.

Smiling like she'd never smiled before Kel turned and looked at her brother Anders and her mother, she saw Raoul and Alanna and Buri, she saw Neal and Yuki, and she saw Shinko and Roald. She saw Wolset and Aidan and all the rest of Third Company. She saw Owen and she laughed hard when she saw Peachblossom's head in the door. There weren't animals allowed inside the church (with the exception of Jump), so someone, and she had a fair guess who, had picketed him outside.

And then the real celebrations started.

* * *

If one didn't already follow the colourful decorations, the smell of food, the sound of bodies, or the music, one would definitely notice the roar of laughter from the wedded man and woman, and be attracted to the feast.

Dom had finally sat down to rest his aching feet and sipped a small quantity of ale as he watched the men of Third Company dance with various attending ladies. This was a feast of the likes the palace hadn't seen in a while with decorations hanging from every tree and colourful gowns upon happy people whom had laid oppressed and depressed in the last months following the war.

The feast had started off with the intimate friends but the voice had spread and more and more people had started to arrive, to drink, to laugh, to be merry. Now it seemed as if half of Corus stood, on this marvelous spring day, to enjoy the blossoming flowers and the bright sun and the plush grass.

Kel sat right next to him, tucked into his side like she never had before in public and very much enjoying the feel of her ring. The ring was small, modest and perfect for a fighter: she loved it. And she loved him. She almost laughed at herself, she couldn't believe how frightened she'd been of marrying him, of standing before all these people and vowing her love to a man... and yet, she'd done it. In the future she'd take a rabid Hurrok though, much less scaring.

Wolset stumbled out of the fray, stumbling from a drunkness that was not completely due to alcohol. He easily hefted himself onto one of the tables and let out a yell that had the music grounding to a halt and the whole crowd turn to look at him. He took his time, drawing out the suspense and lifted his goblet in the air.

"I've been a soldier for many years – not that I'm too old or anything -" he said with a wink to a group of ladies close to him which giggled. "- and I've seen a lot of bad things in my life. I've seen so much that I'm surprised I'm still here to see them. I'm not sure I completely understood tha'..." he laughed lightly, taking another swig. "But nothing is ever as bad as a war. I witnessed the Scanran war and I witnessed the Second Immortal war and that is _far_ too much for a lifetime. I do know one thing though – I know we wouldn't be here if it weren't for Lady Kel –" he was interrupted by a loud cheer from Third Company which he gave a lopsided smile to. Kel ducked her head, shaking it and Dom grinned at her.

"As I was _saying – _we wouldn't be here without our Commander, despite the fact that she's terrible with hammers and lacks a sense of humour early in the morning." Kel gave him a dry look and he laughed, swaying a moment and having trouble staying atop the table.

"So to our Commander and to our Sergeant Blue Eyes – hope he'll keep you busy enough to let us sleep in now an' then!" The company laughed and he lifted his goblet in the air. They followed his example and lifted their goblets while the married couple smiled with a resigned sort of face.

"So mote it be!" And the call was picked up and passed along until they were all shouting it and the music took up again and the laughter floated up easily to the cerulean skies once more. Dom held a hand to her which she took and waltzed her away from their seats with an easy pace and a smile so wide it transformed his face.

"Dom. Dom! Stop!" She laughed as he started to spin her faster and faster around, her head spun and she collapsed onto him with a laugh. She clung onto her shoulders and tried to right herself. He looked around and then leaned into her ear:

"Nobody is watching us – let's go." And so they slipped away quietly from their party and towards her chambers, all laughter gone and something deeper taking over their emotions... something beautiful and carefree yet desperately erotic and profound. Hands fisted into fabric, into hair – fingers digging into skin and mouths fused together, a song rising from the hum of intertwined bodies and the twisting of cotton sheets.

Outside Raoul and Buri had watched them go with a secret, knowing smile shared between the two. He drew her into his side and she put a hand over her stomach absentmindedly. He covered it and kissed her mouth, unconditioned love softening his warrior features.

Ah, that life goes on and on and on.

* * *

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**There it is. It's finally finished. I'm so very sorry it took so long, I was out of the country for a bit and then with school and everything... it's been a little cry. Anyway, this was my first story on fanfiction and though there is a lot of it I want to change (and will in the near future), I want to thank all of you for having had the patience to stick with it and with me. **

**Thank you for all your amazing reviews and all your wonderful advice and feedback, you've been great. This couldn't have been done without you.**

**xxTunstall Chickxx**

**10/09/10**  
**P.S. As of yesterday I am another year older. I'm still wrapping my head around this. How do old people do it? I feel like I was in kindergarten yesterday...**


	24. Thanks

**Thanks are in order:**

**To my readers for having had the patience to stick with Lady Knight Adventures.**

**To my reviewers: for always making my day and always having something interesting or kind to say.**

**To my amazing beta reader Tamora Pierce Junior for having come halfway through and always being there no matter how many long troubled emails or terrible chapters or spelling mistakes I threw at her.**

**To Mop Cat (my dear Ellie) for being the best friend I could ask for.**

**To Ally-Marty for the motivation and the kind words and all the understanding.**

**To everyone I can't mention for lack of space: this is for you.**

**I can't believe it's been two years.**

**Thank you.**


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